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Jame Gumb/Buffalo Bill
Jack Crawford is the head of the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI. He recruits Starling, an agent in training, to help him with the Buffalo Bill case because he believes she shows promise. Everyone who works under Crawford likes him and sees him as a great leader. However, he is not always straightforward about his objectives. For instance, he sends Starling to meet Hannibal Lecter under a false pretense, which he only tells her about after the fact. Nonetheless, Starling cannot help but look up to Crawford and treat him like a father figure. The Buffalo Bill case is a difficult time in Crawford’s life not only because the FBI is under intense scrutiny, but also because his wife, Bella, is dying of a terminal illness. While trying to catch Buffalo Bill, Crawford spends many sleepless nights by Bella’s side. Over the course of the novel, Bella becomes unresponsive and eventually dies, which is difficult for Crawford to endure. Many of his superiors believe he should not be working the Buffalo Bill case, and they eventually take him off of it. However, Crawford still works the case from behind the scenes.
Jack Crawford Quotes in The Silence of the Lambs
The The Silence of the Lambs quotes below are all either spoken by Jack Crawford or refer to Jack Crawford. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
Paperwork. Clarice Starling’s self-interest snuffled ahead like a keen beagle. She smelled a job offer coming—probably the drudgery of feeding raw data into a new computer system. It was tempting to get into Behavioral Science in any capacity she could, but she knew what happens to a woman if she’s ever pegged as a secretary—it sticks until the end of time. A choice was coming, and she wanted to choose well.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Do your job, just don’t ever forget what he is.”
“And what’s that? Do you know?”
“I know he’s a monster. Beyond that, nobody can say for sure.”
Chapter 12
Quotes
“Sheriff, this kind of a sex crime has some aspects that I’d rather say to you just between us men, you understand what I mean?” Crawford said, indicating Starling’s presence with a small movement. of his head. He hustled the smaller man into a cluttered office off the hall and closed the door. Starling was left to mask her umbrage before the gaggle of deputies. Her teeth hard together, she gazed on Saint Cecilia and returned the saint’s ethereal smile while eavesdropping through the door. She could hear raised voices, then scraps of a telephone conversation.
Chapter 13
Quotes
That’s not a guess. He’s very likely right, and he could have told you why, but he wanted to tease you with it. It’s the only weakness I ever saw in him—he has to look smart, smarter than anybody. He’s been doing it for years.
Chapter 28
Quotes
To even mention Buffalo Bill in the same breath with the problems we treat here is ignorant and unfair and dangerous, Mr. Crawford. It makes my hair stand on end.
Chapter 48
Quotes
I’m as good as anybody you’ve got at the cop stuff, better at some things. The victims are all women and there aren’t any women working this. I can walk in a woman’s room and know three times as much about her as a man would know, and you know that’s a fact.
Get the entire The Silence of the Lambs LitChart as a printable PDF.
Jack Crawford Quotes in The Silence of the Lambs
The The Silence of the Lambs quotes below are all either spoken by Jack Crawford or refer to Jack Crawford. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 1
Quotes
Paperwork. Clarice Starling’s self-interest snuffled ahead like a keen beagle. She smelled a job offer coming—probably the drudgery of feeding raw data into a new computer system. It was tempting to get into Behavioral Science in any capacity she could, but she knew what happens to a woman if she’s ever pegged as a secretary—it sticks until the end of time. A choice was coming, and she wanted to choose well.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“Do your job, just don’t ever forget what he is.”
“And what’s that? Do you know?”
“I know he’s a monster. Beyond that, nobody can say for sure.”
Chapter 12
Quotes
“Sheriff, this kind of a sex crime has some aspects that I’d rather say to you just between us men, you understand what I mean?” Crawford said, indicating Starling’s presence with a small movement. of his head. He hustled the smaller man into a cluttered office off the hall and closed the door. Starling was left to mask her umbrage before the gaggle of deputies. Her teeth hard together, she gazed on Saint Cecilia and returned the saint’s ethereal smile while eavesdropping through the door. She could hear raised voices, then scraps of a telephone conversation.
Chapter 13
Quotes
That’s not a guess. He’s very likely right, and he could have told you why, but he wanted to tease you with it. It’s the only weakness I ever saw in him—he has to look smart, smarter than anybody. He’s been doing it for years.
Chapter 28
Quotes
To even mention Buffalo Bill in the same breath with the problems we treat here is ignorant and unfair and dangerous, Mr. Crawford. It makes my hair stand on end.
Chapter 48
Quotes
I’m as good as anybody you’ve got at the cop stuff, better at some things. The victims are all women and there aren’t any women working this. I can walk in a woman’s room and know three times as much about her as a man would know, and you know that’s a fact.
