The Silence Of The Lambs

Compare Jame Gumb, Hannibal Lecter, and the other inmates of the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. How does Harris highlight the similarities and differences between the criminals? Why is Lecter afforded a heightened level of respect and civility compared to the others? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Clarice disguises her heritage and her impoverished upbringing to be taken seriously by her colleagues. How does her hypervigilance about appearances affect her behavior? What occurs when Clarice embraces her family history and her rural roots?

The Silence of the Lambs is a psychological crime thriller. How does Harris create suspense and horror? What narrative techniques and literary devices does he employ?

How does Clarice navigate the stereotyping and harassment she faces on the job as a woman? How do her efforts to change her outward demeanor compare or contrast with the other minor female characters in the book? Do any of these women successfully escape the biases they face?

Jame Gumb’s night vision goggles are a prominent symbol of his character, as is his labyrinthine basement. How do these symbols work to illuminate Gumb’s personality, motivations, and history?

In her final interview with Lecter, Clarice is escorted out before she can answer Lecter’s question about how she manages her anger. Using examples from the text, describe how Clarice manages her anger as a woman, as a student, and as someone from a lower-class background. Does Clarice’s anger management change over the course of the book? Why or why not? To what outcome?

Lecter tells Clarice that Chilton isn’t a real medical doctor and that his degrees and honors are fake. How do Chilton’s actions and personality support Lecter’s claim? What are the implications of this revelation?

A central theme of Silence of the Lambs is the manipulation and deceit of others for both good and evil ends. When it comes to Clarice and Crawford’s deception, does the narrative support the belief that the ends justify the means? Why or why not?