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 returns to the Baltimore Hospital for the Criminally Insane for another visit with Lecter. When she arrives at Lecter’s cell, the lights are all the way down, and she cannot see him. Someone placed a TV playing religious sermons in front of the cell. Starling asks Lecter if she can speak to him but receives no response from the darkness.
The TV playing religious sermons is a sort of ironic punishment for Lecter because he convinced Miggs to kill himself. Obviously, Chilton and his lackeys do not think the religious sermons will convert Lecter any time soon.
Themes
Since Lecter won’t answer, Starling starts talking about Raspail’s storage locker. Lecter cuts her off and tells her to ask him about Buffalo Bill. In response, Starling asks if Lecter knows something about the case. Lecter says he could probably help if she lets him look at the case files. However, Starling is not assigned to the case and therefore has nothing to share with him. Lecter tells Starling that he knows she could get her hands on the case files if she tried.
Before Lecter shares information with anyone, he always makes sure there is something in it for himself. Obviously, he knows more than he is saying, but how much he knows is unclear. Similarly, Starling knows she could probably learn more about the case to share with Lecter. However, she does not want to give him more than she has to.
Themes
Starling changes the subject and asks Lecter about the head she found in Raspail’s car. Lecter informs her that the head belonged to Raspail’s lover, Klaus. Lecter says that Raspail confessed to murdering his lover in therapy. However, he suspects the murder was accidental (erotic asphyxiation) because Raspail is prone to lying. Lecter also says that Raspail showed him the head in the car, which is why he knew it was there. Following the death of his lover, Lecter got sick of Raspail’s “whining,” so he killed him.
Here, Lecter is surprisingly forward with the information he gives Starling, which is why everything he says is suspicious. It seems unlikely Lecter would say so much and be entirely truthful when Starling has yet to give him anything in return. Notably, he does not say anything that connects the head in Raspail’s car to the Buffalo Bill case.
Themes
Lecter questions Starling about her experience in the storage unit and her feelings about Miggs’s death. Starling answers his questions briefly and tries not to reveal too much. Lecter also asks Starling about her relationship with Crawford. He attempts to make her uncomfortable by asking if she thinks Crawford has sexual fantasies about her. Starling shuts him down, claiming his questions sound like something Miggs would say.
Here, Starling demonstrates she is an adequate sparring partner for Lecter. Indeed, Lecter’s question is crude, and he designed it to get under Starling’s skin. To some extent, it probably did. However, Starling does not show her discomfort. Instead, she attacks what Lecter holds most dear: his ego. She knows Miggs repulsed Lecter and that he will therefore hate the comparison.
Themes
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Lecter tells Starling that Crawford initially sent her to see him because he wants help with the Buffalo Bill case. Lecter claims that Crawford is unwilling to visit himself, and because of that, more women will die. Starling doesn’t believe him. Lecter assures her it is true but promises to help her if she helps him. He wants a room with a view, and he knows Crawford can get it for him. Starling promises to relay the message. Before she leaves, Lecter gives her two solid pieces of information about Buffalo Bill. Lecter says Buffalo Bill will start scalping his victims and he lives in a two-story house.
Constantly, Lecter plays mind games, and it isn't easy to know when he is telling the truth. Starling does not take anything he says at face value; she is wise not to. However, everything he says in this section is likely true. Crawford didn't really send Starling to Lecter for the questionnaire. Crawford knows Lecter and is well aware that he would never fill out such a survey. Assuming Lecter is correct, then Crawford is in a difficult position. Crawford does not want to do anything to help Lecter, but at the same time, Lecter is the only person who can help him.
Themes
