The Silence Of The Lambs

Harris employs roving third-person narration. The narrative primarily follows Clarice’s movements, but it also follows other minor characters. Third-person narration allows Harris to include exposition beyond the characters’ direct thoughts, but Harris limits the action to what the characters immediately experience. This narrative style allows for a more objective viewpoint while also maintaining the immediacy of first-person narration. Roving third-person narration is especially powerful in the crime genre because it compels the reader to piece together information from different characters’ experiences to solve the mystery.

This first section of chapters sets up the book’s main conflict: The investigation of Buffalo Bill. Harris introduces this conflict subtly, beginning with Crawford’s need to recruit Clarice for field work because of the lack of available personnel. Clarice’s interviews with Lecter, however, prove to be connected to the Buffalo Bill case, as Lecter secretly knows the killer’s identity and wants to team up with the FBI. Points of tension, like Chilton’s hostility and Clarice’s attempts to hide her lower-class upbringing, grow as the narrative develops.

Miscommunication riddles Clarice and Crawford’s relationship from the very beginning. Crawford is reserved and doesn’t share his thoughts beyond the bare minimum, which makes Clarice frequently misinterpret his actions. Prior to their meeting, Clarice “had written Crawford off as a two-faced recruiting sergeant son of a bitch” because he ignored her letters, but she discovers he slowly and silently watched her progress (2). Crawford’s lack of clear communication creates tension when he hangs up on Clarice after she leaves the hospital. To Clarice, his curtness—which the reader learns is due to his wife’s illness—conflicts with his urgency for Lecter’s information. Clarice is unsure of whether to pursue Lecter’s lead. Crawford’s lack of transparency foreshadows larger issues in future chapters when Crawford must retroactively defend the actions Clarice takes on her own because of his ambiguity.

A central theme of The Silence of the Lambs is bias against women and the normalization of harassment on the job. Clarice excuses the verbal vulgarity from the inmates who have mental health issues because she believes they are “hostile for reasons [she] couldn’t know”; their behavior, though rude, is pardonable (18). When Miggs assaults her, Clarice questions whether her ambitions are worth the harassment, thinking, “What in God’s name do I want this bad?” (25). Clarice resents that men don’t have to endure similar experiences; when Crawford calls Miggs Clarice’s “friend” she realizes men view her harassment as expected and even humorous (39). Clarice would rather speak to the foul-mouthed inmates over Chilton because he deliberately makes her feel inferior for being a woman. Chilton’s belittles her intelligence and ambition out of spite. Chilton blames working women like Clarice for his office staff shortage and laughs at the FBI for “going to the girls” (8). He views Clarice’s status as below his own and resents that Lecter speaks openly with her.

Harris employs several narrative techniques to intensify the reader’s fear of Lecter. Lecter is a recurring character from Harris’s book Red Dragon. Clarice refers to him only by his nickname “Hannibal the Cannibal” after a “brief silence [that] follows the name, always” (4). A sense of mystery leaves the audience to imagine Lecter’s horrible crimes themselves. When Clarice meets Lecter, his security is more extensive than the rest of the inmates, emphasizing the greater danger he poses to those around him. Harris describes Lecter with monstrous features, like a sixth finger on one hand and maroon-red eyes, to further distance him from ordinary people. Clarice reveals details about Lecter’s victim Benjamin Raspail, who Lecter killed, disemboweled, publicly displayed, and served as a dinner party meal. Aside from these few details, the novel is ambiguous about Lecter’s crimes.

Harris’s other novel, Red Dragon, illuminates Lecter’s character. In Red Dragon, FBI profiler Will Graham goes to Lecter—much like Clarice—for information about a serial killer called the Tooth Fairy. Lecter corresponds with the Tooth Fairy, revealing Will’s home address. Lecter’s knowledge of Will’s personal information leads to a violent struggle between Will and the Tooth Fairy that results in Will “look[ing] like damn Picasso drew him” (6). Recalling these events, Crawford warns Clarice to avoid becoming personal with Lecter because he doesn’t want her to get hurt. These events explain why Lecter’s note disturbs Crawford, as Lecter sent a similar note to Will after his attack.

Clarice compartmentalizes her anger and represses her lower-class upbringing so she can be taken seriously by those around her. Harris shows that Clarice has a temper through her internal monologues, like when she calls Crawford a “Creepo son of a bitch” after he hangs up on her (29). These private outbursts help her to relieve anger so she can focus on her job. Clarice also hides the mannerisms she inherited from growing up in rural West Virginia. Lecter points out that Clarice would “hate to think [she is] common” (23), which makes her suppress these features. Clarice works hard to prove that despite her upbringing she is intelligent and worthy of her place. When Ardelia scolds Clarice for letting her “ghastly dialect” slip, the reader sees how deeply Clarice changes her outward identity to fit in, going as far as changing the way she naturally speaks (37).