Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Thomas Harris's The Silence of the Lambs. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.
The Silence of the Lambs: Introduction
The Silence of the Lambs: Plot Summary
The Silence of the Lambs: Detailed Summary & Analysis
The Silence of the Lambs: Themes
The Silence of the Lambs: Quotes
The Silence of the Lambs: Characters
The Silence of the Lambs: Symbols
The Silence of the Lambs: Theme Wheel
Brief Biography of Thomas Harris
Historical Context of The Silence of the Lambs
Other Books Related to The Silence of the Lambs
- Full Title: The Silence of the Lambs
- Where Written: Florida
- When Published: August 29, 1988
- Literary Period: Contemporary
- Genre: Crime Novel, Psychological Thriller
- Setting: Baltimore, Maryland and Quantico, Virginia in 1983
- Climax: Starling unwittingly enters Jame Gumb’s house and chases after him in the basement. While in complete darkness, Starling shoots and kills Gumb after she hears him cock his gun.
- Antagonist: Hannibal Lecter and Jame Gumb/Buffalo Bill
- Point of View: Third Person
Extra Credit for The Silence of the Lambs
Real-Life Inspiration. Thomas Harris came up with the idea for Hannibal Lecter after visiting a prison for dangerous criminals. While in the prison, he talked for some time to an intelligent man about the mental states of the other prisoners. Upon leaving the prison, someone told him that the man he had been talking, who Harris presumed was a doctor at the prison, was actually another inmate.
Awards Sweep. The critically acclaimed movie adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, is one of only three movies in history to sweep the Academy Awards. It won “Best Picture,” “Best Actor,” “Best Actress,” “Best Director,” and “Best Adapted Screenplay.”