Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silence of the Lambs, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sexism and Law Enforcement
The Nature of Evil
Class and Shame
Manipulation
Summary
Analysis
Crawford and Starling drive to the Potter Funeral Home in West Virginia, where the body of Buffalo Bill’s latest victim awaits them. When they pull up to the funeral home, they see a service is about to start. On the backside of the home, where they park, several members of local law enforcement are waiting. Starling examines the men and immediately knows they come from a lower-class background, like her. She wonders if Crawford knows anything about how they live and who they are as people the way she does. As Starling enters the funeral home, she hears the men discuss her looks and make sexual comments about her.
Much of the discrimination Starling faces while dealing with men in the FBI is subtle and difficult to counter. However, the discrimination she deals with while around local law enforcement is blatant. Starling knows that, in the eyes of these men, she is a sexual object before she is an FBI agent. Additionally, Starling knew this behavior was coming; she shares a background with these men and has presumably experienced similar conduct.
Themes
Once inside, Crawford talks to the sheriff, who is the man in charge. Crawford gently tells him that he will take the case from here, but the sheriff has none of it. Then, Crawford asks if there is somewhere private where they can talk. He gestures towards Starling and says the details of such a horrific crime should be kept “between us men.” The sheriff accepts his request, and the two of them move to a separate room, leaving Starling standing and gritting her teeth in a room with several male deputies.
Crawford’s prediction immediately comes true: local law enforcement does not like the FBI stepping into what they feel is their jurisdiction. Additionally, this moment represents a change in Crawford’s character; previously, he seemed generally well-attuned to the struggles Starling faces because of her gender. Here, however, he plays into a harmful stereotype, even if he does not mean what he says.
Themes
Starling hears yelling emanating from the room where Crawford is talking to the sheriff, and a few minutes later, they reemerge. After, Starling and Crawford go to the morgue’s embalming room, where a body bag is lying on a table. Crawford leaves momentarily to get something from the car while Starling stays behind in the room with the body.
Evidently, Crawford made the comment about Starling so that he could isolate the sheriff. Whatever Crawford said to him once they were alone was obviously effective because he and Starling go straight to the morgue when he comes back.
Themes
As Starling looks around, she realizes that all of the local law enforcement are starting to trickle their way into the room. Starling politely addresses them and asks them to leave. Respectfully, they filter out of the room without protests. At that moment, Crawford returns and watches them go. He realizes that Starling knows these people and how to talk to them much better than he does.
Still, the local law enforcement wants to be part of the process, and Starling understands why. The dead girl is a part of the community they have sworn to protect, and they want to see justice upheld. However, Starling knows they will only get in the way, so she politely dismisses them.
Themes
Get the entire The Silence of the Lambs LitChart as a printable PDF.
Starling and Crawford begin their examination of the body. Her wounds are similar to the rest of Buffalo Bill’s victims. However, this time he scalped her as well. One of the funeral home workers, Lamar, aids Starling in photographing the victim’s teeth. After taking the photos, Starling notices the victim has something shoved in her throat. Using forceps, Starling reaches down the victim’s throat and pulls out a bug cocoon. She then places it in a jar so she can send it off for further analysis.
One of Lecter’s predictions comes true almost immediately: Buffalo Bill scalped his latest victim. The cocoon Starling finds is also new evidence that the FBI did not find on the previous corpses. This scene is important for Starling’s character because it is her first time seeing the horrors Buffalo Bill has inflicted up close. It is an emotional moment for her that will continue to resonate throughout the rest of the story.
Themes
Starling and Crawford speculate on how the victim could have received her many wounds. Lamar offers some suggestions as well. He suspects the burn mark on the woman’s leg came from a car’s muffler, and the little puncture wounds on her body came from fishing hooks in the river. Lamar’s analysis impresses Crawford.
Although Lamar is a minor character who only appears in this scene, he proves quite helpful. His knowledge of the local environment helps him speculate about the victim’s wounds in a way Crawford finds compelling.
Themes
As soon as the examination is over, Crawford quickly moves into action. He sends all the important data where it needs to go so that he can mobilize as soon as possible if need be. In particular, he hopes to find a fingerprint match because the victim’s body is relatively fresh. After Crawford has made all the necessary calls, he and Starling leave the funeral home.
Crawford moves as quickly as possible because he thinks it is the best chance to catch Buffalo Bill. In the back of Crawford’s mind, he knows that the sooner this case is over, the sooner he will be able to spend more time with Bella. Whether or not this knowledge affects his decision-making is up for debate.
Themes
