Lambs as metaphor in connection with psychopathic killers

[Dan Goncharoff]

Perhaps more direct than sly -- I know the book explicitly brings up
the imagery of screaming lambs, and Lector tries to scare Darling with
the imagery.

OTOH, lambs screaming is not a new image in literature.

DanG



On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:27 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      Lambs as metaphor in connection with psychopathic killers
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> The movie "Silence of the Lambs" =
> (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silence_of_the_Lambs) was released in =
> 1991, three years after the novel. In the movie and book, the =
> protagonist relates to a psychopathic killer (cannibal) a childhood =
> memory in which she tries, but is unable, to rescue a lamb.
>
> The film hit a creepy-note with a lot of people, and it may be that =
> "lambs" is here to stay as a metaphor (for an innocent) in connection to =
> a psychopathic killer.
>
> Twenty years late, in the October 24 article "=91Dangerous Instincts=92: =
> Ex-FBI profiler explains dangers of that =91nice=92 neighbor" in the =
> Washington Post =
> (http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/dangerous-instincts-fbi-pro=
> filer-explains-the-dangers-of-that-nice-neighbor/2011/10/17/gIQAkvNCDM_sto=
> ry.html), Monica Hesse uses the lamb metaphor in connection to =
> psychopaths without reference to the movie or book the "Silence of the =
> Lambs":
>
> -----
> Is it possible to tell whether the lawn guy is a psychopath, or just =
> overcharging you on fertilizer? The lambs are screaming, and they are in =
> your cul de sac.
> -----
>
> I suppose "screaming" might be considered a sly reference to the word =
> "silence" in the title=85.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA=
>
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