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 places a phone call to Starling to talk about the new developments in the Chilton and Lecter deal. Crawford’s call is the first time Starling hears about what happened, and it enrages her. She hates Chilton more than ever and thinks he is going to get Catherine killed to satisfy his ego. After the call with Crawford, Starling takes a shower and tries not to think about Chilton. She is staying in a cheap motel, which reminds her of her mother, who worked as a maid after her father’s death. Thinking about her mother forces her to contemplate the day her mother sent her away to live on the ranch. Starling tries not to think about the past as she gets dressed. Immediately after she gets her clothes on, Crawford arrives at the motel.
Before Starling learned about Chilton’s deal, Chilton was merely an annoyance that she ignored, just like the many other men who make comments at her expense. However, he goes too far here and becomes a villain in her mind—an antagonist who could end up with blood on his hands. Additionally, this scene gives more of a glimpse into Starling’s lower-class background. Evidently, she does not like to think about her parents and what they did for a living, even though she does love them.
Themes
