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Chapter 40
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
Still stuck in the oubliette, Catherine has nightmares about what will happen to her. When she wakes up, she can hear Gumb sewing on the floor above her. The longer she is in the oubliette, the more desperate Catherine gets. She contemplates how to escape. She wonders if she should try to have sex with Gumb and attack him when his guard is down.
Catherine knows her life will soon come to an end if she does not do something. Unfortunately, she has no idea what Gumb wants from her, and her seduction idea is doomed to fail. Although Catherine does not know it, Gumb is using human skin for his sewing.
Themes
As Catherine is contemplating a solution, one comes to her. Precious appears above her in the basement, and Catherine realizes she can try to capture Gumb’s dog, the one thing he truly cares about other than himself. Catherine throws her bucket to the top of the well, hoping to trap Precious with it as she walks by. Catherine calls out to the dog and gets her to move toward the bucket. However, ultimately, the trap fails, and Precious runs away. Frustrated and scared, Catherine collapses into tears.
Catherine’s plan is dangerous but understandable. On the one hand, she risks angering Gumb, which could lead to a quick death. On the other hand, she will likely die soon anyway, making the downside worth the risk. Unfortunately, Catherine’s plan fails, making this the low point in the story for both her and Starling.
Themes
