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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Silence of the Lambs, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sexism and Law Enforcement
The Nature of Evil
Class and Shame
Manipulation
Summary
Analysis
In Gumb’s basement, Catherine sits in complete darkness. She feels around to get a sense of her surroundings. She has a bucket to use as a toilet, a chair, and clothes in her prison. The walls of the oubliette are completely smooth, so she cannot climb them. At this point, she has no idea where she is or why someone would kidnap her.
Gumb treats Catherine like something between a human and an animal. He still sees some humanity within her because he provides her with clothes. However, everything else about her situation implies that she is subhuman in his eyes. Or, alternatively, Gumb does recognize her humanity and simply does not care.
Themes
Gumb appears at the top of the oubliette, allowing light to come in. He sends down soapy water and an expensive moisturizer in the bucket, which he orders Catherine to rub on her skin. Catherine begs Gumb to release her, but he ignores her. She promises that her mother is a rich woman who will help him in any way she can and pay any ransom. Still, Gumb does not care.
While feeling around the oubliette wall, Catherine dislodges someone else's fingernail. She picks it up, looks at it, and realizes that she is not the first person Gumb has abducted. After looking at the fingernail and thinking about the expensive moisturizer, Catherine realizes that the man with the bucket must be Buffalo Bill.
Until now, Catherine does not know that Buffalo Bill is a serial killer. He could have captured her for any number of reasons, many of them political. However, now, she knows her life is in imminent danger if she cannot find a way to escape.
Themes
