The Silence of the Lambs

Lecter’s cell is isolated from the rest, and someone nailed everything in it to the ground. There are books all over the cell and drawings of European cities that Lecter created himself from memory. When Starling approaches the cell, she sees Lecter lying in his bunk and reading Vogue. She notices that his left hand has six fingers. Starling introduces herself to Lecter and asks if they can talk. Lecter asks to see her credentials. Starling calls over one of the guards, Barney, to oversee the safe exchange of her ID to Lecter.

Lecter examines the ID while sniffing the air. He is annoyed that Crawford sent a student to interview him rather than a professional. Then, he asks Starling what Miggs whispered when she walked by. Starling repeats what Miggs said: “I can smell your cunt.” In response, Lecter says, “I myself cannot” and then correctly names Starling’s skin cream and perfume. Then, Lecter compliments Starling’s handbag and insults her shoes. Starling responds indifferently to Lecter’s comments and asks Lecter about his drawings. Lecter answers her questions but quickly shifts the conversation to Will Graham, one of Crawford’s protégés with whom he worked and almost killed. Starling tells Lecter that she has never met Graham and does not know much about him.

Starling tries to cleverly bring up the survey she wants Lecter to fill out, but he stops her. Lecter tells Starling she was doing well in the conversation until this sloppy segue. Starling assures Lecter that she would not dream of trying to trick him; she knows he is much too intelligent for something like that. 

Lecter switches the topic of conversation to the recent papers from the Behavioral Science unit. In particular, he asks Starling what she thinks about an article claiming serial killers belong in two groups: organized and disorganized. Starling is not fond of the classification but tries to speak with seriousness about it. Meanwhile, Lecter mocks the idea that his psychology could possibly be so simple.

Then, Lecter brings up Buffalo Bill, a serial killer at large that Crawford is busy trying to catch. He asks Starling what she knows about Buffalo Bill. Starling says she is not assigned to the case and knows nothing that is not in the papers. Lecter asks if she knows where Buffalo Bill got his name from. Starling tells Lecter that the name comes from a bad joke: “They call him Buffalo Bill because he skins his humps.”

Satisfied, Lecter asks Starling to give him the questionnaire. However, when he looks at it, he mocks its simplicity. Starling tells Lecter that the questionnaire aims to figure out how people like Lecter come into being. In response, Lecter says that human behavior is not reducible to a set of influences. Starling does not try to argue with Lecter. She tells him that she cannot explain him—that is something only he can do.

Lecter holds up his six-fingered hand to indicate that Starling should stop talking. Then, he lets out a diatribe to dig up Starling’s insecurities. He tells her she looks like a “rube” who came from nothing and is trying to make something of herself. However, no matter how hard she tries, a part of her will always feel inadequate. He also implies that she is desperate for approval and will never find a man to love her. Starling compliments Lecter’s insight but then asks him if he is brave enough to turn his mental faculties inward to examine himself.

Lecter sends Starling away, refusing to partake in her study. Starling walks away from Lecter to exit the facility. However, on her way down the hall, Miggs throws semen on Starling’s face. Disgusted, Starling wants to leave immediately, but Lecter starts calling her name. Starling returns to Lecter’s cell. Lecter tells Starling that he disapproves of the “discourtesy” Miggs committed and therefore wants to help her out. He still refuses to fill out the questionnaire, but he promises to give Starling the thing she wants the most: advancement. Then, he tells Starling to “[l]ook in Raspail’s car,” though he does not explain what that means.