The Silence Of The Lambs

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What is the difference between a “villain” and a “monster”? List examples of villains and monsters from books, movies, TV shows, and video games. What are the shared characteristics of a villain and the characteristics of a monster? You may find it helpful to create a Venn Diagram to organize your thoughts.

Teaching Suggestion: If your students are unsure where to start, it might be helpful to offer a few examples as a springboard. Ask them to consider if both terms are associated with humans, animals, or a different kind of creature. For example, they might start with figures that are associated with Halloween, since many students will be familiar with these (for instance, mummies, vampires, Frankenstein, zombies, witches). Students might benefit from sharing their examples with one another in a small-group or whole-class discussion; student input will likely incorporate pop culture examples. Helpful guiding questions may include “Is a monster always malicious?” “Is a villain born evil?” “Can a monster have agency?” and “Can a human be categorized as a monster?” If students struggle for pop culture examples, you might ask them to compare and contrast the types of vampires in Twilight, consider the intellect of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or discuss the depiction of zombies in The Walking Dead and The Last of Us. Student input may offer an opportunity to introduce a connected theme like The Manipulation of Others for Good and Evil. For additional discussion possibilities, you might investigate these or similar resources.

• This article from the British Comparative Literature Association offers a helpful breakdown of the human fascination with the monstrous.
• This clip from the first episode of HBO’s The Last of Us depicts zombies (who were recently human) attacking their human neighbors. The clip invites viewers to consider if the zombies have agency and can control what they are doing, or if they are driven by forces beyond their control. (Content Warning: May not be suitable for all groups due to gore and violence)

2. Works that fall into the categories of “thriller” and “suspense” are known for their fast pace and ability to build tension. Consider your exposure to these genres in other works. What are the key characteristics of a thriller or a suspense novel? How do storytellers build tension? Which of these techniques are medium-specific and which of these techniques can be successful no matter the medium of the story?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be helpful to tackle this question by asking students to list examples of works they are familiar with in the thriller and suspense genres. Books such as Gone Girl and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, TV shows such as Netflix’s You and Showtime’s Dexter, and films such as Hitchcock’s Rear Window and Psycho may be helpful references. As students consider the narrative structure of the works, they might cite ways these texts are “scary” or suspenseful. Other helpful prodding questions include “Is the protagonist of the text that you are examining a purely moral figure?” “What is the central conflict of this text?” and “Who were you rooting for during your first encounter with this text, and why?” Information from these or similar resources can help students develop additional context on the topic.

• This New Yorker article by Arthur Krystal offers an interesting perspective on how genre fiction is often viewed as a guilty pleasure instead of highbrow reading.
• This short Book Riot article offers a quick breakdown of the difference between mystery, thriller, and suspense novels.
• This 30-year-anniversary review of The Silence of the Lambs in The Guardian shows how the film remains a “landmark thriller of horror and humanity.”

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Based on your observations, do you think people are born with certain intentions (i.e., good or evil)? Or it is experiences and environment that determine if people are good or evil? Consider how elements of “nature versus nurture” help shape an individual’s personality and lived experience.

Teaching suggestion: With this prompt, students are invited to consider the effects of biology versus environment. They may benefit from considering traits within their own family and comparing themselves to their siblings. For students who do not want to use their personal lives as examples, it may be helpful to consider hypothetical examples such as “If identical twins who were separated at birth met as adults, would you expect them to have a lot in common?” or “Would Hitler have become an evil dictator if he’d been born in a different country in a different year?” Pop culture examples might include examining the origin stories of characters like Voldemort or comic book villains or comparing the depictions of fictional siblings like Mufasa and Scar. You can connect this conversation to the theme of Performing Identities In Order To Gain Acceptance. Are we capable of changing from evil to good? Is it easier to fall from good to evil? How much control do we have over our morality?