Final answer:
Roald Dahl uses characterization, contrast, and irony to create sympathy for Mary Maloney and antipathy for Patrick Maloney. The warmth and care in Mary's behavior, contrasted with Patrick's coldness, align readers with Mary. The humor in the investigators eating the murder weapon further endears Mary to the reader.
Step-by-step explanation:
Roald Dahl, in his story, masterfully manipulates language and plot to make Mary Maloney a sympathetic character and Patrick Maloney an unsympathetic one. Dahl's strategies include providing insights into Mary's emotional state and her affectionate behavior towards her husband, which is contrasted with Patrick's cold demeanor and the shocking news he delivers, which is never fully disclosed to the reader but is drastic enough to shatter Mary's world.
Mary is initially portrayed as a loving wife who is eagerly and contently expecting her husband's return. The intimate details of her preparations and the description of their domestic life, illuminate her endearing qualities, and create a sense of normalcy and warmth. When Patrick returns and disrupts this atmosphere with his stark and indifferent announcement, readers are positioned to empathize with Mary, especially since she is pregnant and thus, seen as vulnerable.
Textual evidence is crucial for analyzing character dynamics. Unfortunately, without specific line numbers or direct quotes from the text your question references, it's challenging to provide precise textual evidence. However, generally speaking, Dahl's use of language, such as the stark contrast between the characters' dialogues and actions, would serve as potent evidence. For example, Mary's dialogue often conveys warmth and care, whereas Patrick's is curt and dismissive, creating a contrast that naturally sways readers to side with Mary.
Another one of Dahl's techniques is to employ irony and black humor, particularly in the scene where the detectives unknowingly eat the leg of lamb used as the murder weapon. This macabre twist not only adds levity to the story but also brings readers into complicity with Mary, sharing in the grim humor as they recognize the detectives' oversight.