The Silence of the Lambs (1988) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

• Clarice Starling: Student at the FBI academy, who is sent by the FBI agent Jack Crawford to interview Hannibal Lecter, hoping to get clues from Lecter on the serial killer "Buffalo Bill".
• Hannibal Lecter: Serial killer and cannibal, formerly a renowned psychologist. He's held in a high security cell in a mental hospital. Clarice Starling interviews him, her superiors hoping that he can help with the serial killer "Buffalo Bill". Lecter's interests lie more in Clarice herself.
• Jame Gumb: Serial killer, with numerous aliases, known in the tabloids as "Buffalo Bill."
• Jack Crawford: FBI agent and director of Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI. Sends Clarice on the mission to interview Lecter, knowing that Lecter won't listen to him, and hoping for information on the "Buffalo Bill" case.
• Jame Gumb/"Buffalo Bill": The serial killer behind the "Buffalo Bill" murders. He subsequently kidnaps and kills young women.
• Dr. Frederick Chilton: The director of the mental hospital where Lecter is held in captivity. He's incompetent, and treats Lecter with no respect, earning his hatred.
• Barney Matthews: The head orderly in the maximum security area of the mental hospital where Lecter is held. He is the only one there that treats Lecter with respect, thus earning his respect in turn. Also, he knows the risk involved with Dr. Lecter and aptly deals with it in fulfilling his duty.
• Catherine Baker Martin: The latest girl that "Buffalo Bill" has captured, and the person that the FBI are rushing to save through the novel. She is the daughter of Senator Ruth Martin.
• Senator Ruth Martin: The mother of Catherine Baker Martin.
• Benjamin Raspail: A former patient and victim of Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
• Klaus: Friend of Raspail, murder victim.
• Boyle: Add a description of this character.
• Roden
• Pembry
• Bella: Jack Crawford's wife
• Mrs Lippman: Owner of a fabric store frequented by Jame Gumb and his first victim.
• Ardelia Mapp: Clarice Starling's roommate in FBI Academy dorm and her best friend.
• Lamar
• Jeff
• Fredrica: Victim of Buffalo Bill
• Dr Danielson
• Mr Krendler: Power hungry executive in the Justice Department.
• Sammie
• Tate
• Pilcher
• Billy Rubin: The name Dr. Lecter makes up for the "Buffalo Bill" killer.
• Mr Bimmel
• Alan Bloom: Expert on serial killers from the University of Chicago, works with the FBI.
• Stacy
• Kimberly: The girl who was dead and found along the river, her skin was frayed.
• Brigham: FBI agent in charge of the shooting range at Quantico, friend of Clarice Starling.
• Gossage
• Richards
• Peterson
• Mrs Burdine

Quotes edit see section history

• “Haven't you ever had people coming over and no time to shop? You have to make do with what's in the fridge, Clarice. May I call you Clarice?”

  Hannibal Lecter

• “"It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again."”

  Buffalo Bill

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• “Nothing happened to me, Officer Starling. I happened. You can’t reduce me to a set of influences. You’ve given up good and evil for behaviorism, Officer Starling. You’ve got everybody in moral dignity pants—nothing is ever anybody’s fault. Look at me, Officer Starling. Can you stand to say I’m evil? Am I evil, Officer Starling?”

  Highlighted by 36 Kindle customers

• We rarely get to prepare ourselves in meadows or on graveled walks; we do it on short notice in places without windows, hospital corridors, rooms like this lounge with its cracked plastic sofa and Cinzano ashtrays, where the café curtains cover blank concrete. In rooms like this, with so little time, we prepare our gestures, get them by heart so we can do them when we’re frightened in the face of Doom.

  Highlighted by 34 Kindle customers

• “A census taker tried to quantify me once. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a big Amarone. Go back to school, little Starling.”

  Highlighted by 33 Kindle customers

• Over this odd world, this half the world that’s dark now, I have to hunt a thing that lives on tears.

  Highlighted by 30 Kindle customers

• O wrangling schools, that search what fire Shall burn this world, had none the wit Unto this knowledge to aspire That this her fever might be it?

  Highlighted by 28 Kindle customers

• Being smart spoils a lot of things, doesn’t it? And taste isn’t kind.

  Highlighted by 26 Kindle customers

• “I collect church collapses, recreationally. Did you see the recent one in Sicily? Marvelous! The façade fell on sixty-five grandmothers at a special Mass. Was that evil? If so, who did it? If He’s up there, He just loves it, Officer Starling. Typhoid and swans—it all comes from the same place.”

  Highlighted by 24 Kindle customers

• The sparks in his eyes flew into his darkness like fireflies down a cave.

  Highlighted by 22 Kindle customers

• He’s a cemetery mink. He lives down in a ribcage in the dry leaves of a heart.

  Highlighted by 20 Kindle customers

• Teach us to care and not to care. Teach us to be still.

  Highlighted by 17 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Baltimore
• Memphis
• Quantico
• Chicago
• West Virginia
• Washington
• Columbus
• Ohio
• Belvedere
• Tennessee
• Montana
• California
• Alonzo
• Florida
• Johns Hopkins
• Calumet City

Organizations edit see section history

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Add a description of this organization.

First Sentence edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• paschal: 1. of or pertaining to Easter. 2. of or pertaining to Passover.
• polydactyly: the condition of being polydactyl, having more than the normal number of fingers or toes.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• murder: Describe this theme.
• cannibalism
• Violence Against Women
• Kidnapping
• Serial Killer
• Experimental Psychology

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Red Dragon, and followed by Hannibal.

Followed by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Preceded by Misery, and followed by Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror.

Preceded by The Godfather, and followed by A Coffin for Dimitrios.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Thomas Harris (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Bram Stoker Award (1988: Novel, Winner)
• Anthony (1989: Best Novel, winner)
• World Fantasy Award (Finalist, 1989: Novel)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3558.A6558 S5 1988
• Dewey: 818'.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Violence

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Authors, A-Z › ( H ) › Harris, Thomas
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Horror › United States
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Psychological & Suspense
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers › Suspense
• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Mystery › Women Sleuths
• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › United States

Movie Connections edit see section history

• The Silence of the Lambs (IMDb): The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American thriller film, which blends elements of the crime and horror genres. It is directed by Jonathan Demme and stars Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine. It is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris, his second to feature Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. In the film, Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee, seeks the advice of the imprisoned Lecter on catching a serial killer known only as "Buffalo Bill". The film won the top five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

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