Lambs as metaphor in connection with psychopathic killers

[victor steinbok]

Wouldn't this be just an extension of the old metaphor (lambs to a
slaughter)?

VS-)

On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:27 PM, Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at ix.netcom.com>wrote:

>
> 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 "'Dangerous Instincts': Ex-FBI
> profiler explains dangers of that 'nice' neighbor" in the Washington Post
> (
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/dangerous-instincts-fbi-profiler-explains-the-dangers-of-that-nice-neighbor/2011/10/17/gIQAkvNCDM_story.html<http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/dangerous-instincts-fbi-pro=%0Afiler-explains-the-dangers-of-that-nice-neighbor/2011/10/17/gIQAkvNCDM_sto=%0Ary.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.
>
> Benjamin Barrett
> Seattle, WA
>

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