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 travels to John Hopkins, where he meets Dr. Danielson, the head of the Gender Identity Clinic. Crawford came to ask Danielson to give him information about rejected applicants for transsexual surgery. However, Danielson does not want to give Crawford the information. He feels that doing so would violate doctor-patient confidentiality. Additionally, he worries that the clinic's involvement in the case will lead to negative press. In particular, he does not want the public to assume that transsexual people are dangerous.
Since the time of Ed Gein—who was rumored to be transgender—the media created an unfair correlation between transgenderism and violence. Dr. Danielson knows that Buffalo Bill's case will only make the public more fearful of his patients, which is why he is not eager to help Crawford. He sympathizes with Catherine Martin, but he does not want to put her life over the well-being of his patients.
Themes
Crawford assures Danielson that the information he provides will remain private. He promises that after the case, he will devise a different method of finding Buffalo Bill that the FBI can share with the public. However, at the moment, time is short, and he needs to use every shortcut he can. Again, Danielson refuses to give Crawford what he wants. He thinks Crawford's suggestion will only lead to more trouble for his clinic.
Neither Crawford nor Danielson find themselves in an enviable position. Both are doing their best to uphold their values, but to do so requires them to step into ethically murky areas. Danielson's refusal to help could lead to Catherine's death. Meanwhile, Crawford's demands might exacerbate the stigmatization of a minority population.
Themes
Angry and desperate, Crawford shows Danielson a picture of one of Buffalo Bill's victims. He threatens to publicly slander Danielson's name and clinic if he refuses to help him. Crawford also implies that he can take away funding for Danielson's clinic if it comes to that. Still, Danielson hesitates. He refuses to let Crawford push him around and once again tries to show Crawford that there is more at stake than he realizes. Ultimately though, Danielson sees Crawford's point and agrees to talk to Alan Bloom about how to properly divulge former applicants' information. Satisfied, Crawford leaves the clinic. On his way out the door, he gets a call from the director of the FBI, who tells him about what has been going on between Chilton, Senator Martin, and Lecter. Crawford is annoyed and wary about what might happen, but he has no way to stop it at this point.
This is the scene in the novel where Crawford debatably crosses an uncomfortable ethical line. However, it isn't easy to demonize him because he thinks his actions could save Catherine. Nonetheless, this moment makes him a morally gray character who is more difficult to grapple with than someone like Starling, who always acts like a heroine should. To make matters worse, there is a possibility that Crawford's treatment of Danielson was completely worthless. After all, now that Chilton is involved, things look like they are about to go downhill quickly.
Themes
