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
Starling travels to the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, where she has a conversation with Dr. Frederick Chilton, the man in charge of overseeing Hannibal Lecter. As Starling speaks with Chilton in his office, she quickly realizes he is more interested in flirting with her than discussing Lecter. Immediately, Starling does everything she can to ensure Chilton knows she is not interested. It takes him some time, but eventually, he catches on.
Starling’s gender immediately comes to the forefront of this interaction. Starling does everything she can to ensure her gender is not an issue, but Chilton refuses to let her do that. Chilton’s behavior is deplorable because he does not even attempt a professional conversation before turning to flirting.
Themes
Suddenly, Chilton’s demeanor changes, and he acts like he does not have time for Starling. He tells her he can brief her on the way to Lecter’s cell but claims he won’t have time to speak to her after. Starling tries to protest—she scheduled a meeting with Chilton and will likely need his input for her report—but Chilton insists he is busy. Before walking to Lecter’s cell, Chilton tells Starling to hand her coat to a man named Alan. Alan is Chilton’s secretary, who is also an inmate at the hospital. When Starling passes him her coat, Alan starts asking her bizarre and disgusting scatological questions about her bathroom habits. Starling tries to get away from him, but Alan grabs hold of her coat and does not let go. Chilton orders Alan to put the coat away and not to touch it while Starling is gone.
This story has several villains, and Chilton is one of them. He deliberately obstructs Starling’s investigation simply because she did not return his sexual advances. His behavior is wholly unprofessional, but because he is the head of the hospital, there is no one to put him in check. Additionally, throughout the novel, Starling comes into contact with mentally unstable men, some of whom are harmless (like Alan) and some of whom are dangerous. Starling is always careful around these men because she knows they can physically overpower her. She uses her brains to match their brawn.
Themes
Together, Starling and Chilton make their way through the mental institution. On the way to Lecter’s cell, Chilton shows Starling a picture of a nurse Lecter permanently disfigured because she let her guard down around him. Chilton also goes through all the safety protocols everyone must follow when in Lecter’s presence. Additionally, Chilton comments that Crawford is clever for sending Starling because Lecter has not seen a woman in years. Chilton thinks Starling's femininity will make Lecter more likely to open up to her.
Between the conversations Chilton and Crawford have with Starling, a lot of tension builds leading up to Starling’s first meeting with Lecter. Meanwhile, although Chilton is rarely correct, there may be something to his comment about why Crawford sent Starling. After all, at this point, it is not clear why Crawford would choose Starling over himself or another more experienced agent.
Themes
When they get to the section of the institution containing Lecter’s cell, Starling asks Chilton if she can go the rest of the way on her own. She knows Lecter does not like Chilton and does not want him to shut down immediately. Chilton allows Starling to do as she wishes but is annoyed with her for supposedly wasting his time. Starling makes her way down a hallway full of inmates. As she walks, she purposely does not make eye contact with the inmates, though she hears one of them (Miggs) whisper a vulgar comment about her. Finally, Starling makes it to Lecter’s cell at the end of the hallway.
Again, Chilton acts childishly in response to a reasonable request. Meanwhile, Starling demonstrates that she knows how to handle herself even though this is her first time in the field. In all of the Baltimore Hospital scenes, Starling is the only woman present. Everyone around her, including the inmates, the attendants, and Chilton, is male. The only woman Starling sees before meeting Lecter for the first time is the picture of the nurse he disfigured. As such, she proceeds with caution.
Themes
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