Seminar Paper #7 Assignment
Silence of the Lambs (1991) Jonathan Demme
“Madness in Movies” Coordinated Studies
Brian Holt & JC Clapp, North Seattle Community College, 2013
Focus/Topic: Psychopathy
Some common symptoms of psychopathy are:
 Superficial charm – a smooth talker
 Grandiose self-worth – inflated view of self, cocky, arrogant
 Need for stimulation – prone to being bored
 Pathological lying – shrewd, crafty, sly, deceptive, manipulative, dishonest
 Lack of remorse or guilt – lack of empathy
 Shallow affect – limited ability to show feelings, cold
 Promiscuous sexual behavior – many brief superficial affairs
 Impulsive and irresponsible – fail to take responsibility for own actions
 Criminal history – diverse criminal offenses, usually starting from a young age
Your Tasks (What your paper should include): Separate and label each section, please.
Section 1: Hannibal Lector is a psychopath. Explain how Dr. Lector does or does not
demonstrate the actual symptoms of psychopathy. Does the film do an accurate job of showing
a psychopath? How or how not? What other mental disorder might Dr. Lector have? Use
examples from the film (with time stamp) to illustrate your analysis.
Grading Criteria for Section 1 (5 points):
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Analysis of psychopathy in Hannibal Lector
Specific examples (with time stamp) illustrating ideas
A minimum of 350 words (about 1 page)
A heading that includes the name of the film, the year, and the name of the director
Assignment typed in 12 pt. font, double spaced, and has 1 inch margins
Grammatically correct and proofread
Section 2: How about Buffalo Bill? What is his diagnosis? Is he a psychopath, too? If not, how
would you describe his mental condition? What evidence do you have for his diagnosis? Be
specific and use examples from the film to support your diagnosis (with time stamp).
Grading Criteria for Section 2 (5 points):
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Analysis and diagnosis of Buffalo Bill
Specific examples (with time stamp) illustrating ideas
A minimum of 350 words (about 1 page)
Grammatically correct and proofread
Section 3: Films are cultural texts that are situated in particular cultural, social, historical and
economic contexts. How do this particular film and Hannibal Lector reflect and inform the
contexts in which it was created (early 1990s)? What does this portrayal tell us culturally about
the concept of a dangerous, shadow figure (the “bogeyman”) or the unstable “crazy” person?
How might the portrayal be projected onto characters and by extension real people? What
messages does this character send about “crazy” people? What social fears or anxieties might
this character be used to assuage? What fears does the character reinforce? Subvert? What
does this film tell us about how cultural values influence perceptions of what motivates a
person to act? To what degree are we shown that a person's choices are intentional (or not)?
This is a mini-essay of about 1 ½-2 pages. You are allowed and encouraged to do some basic
research for this mini-essay, just be sure to document your sources carefully.
Grading Criteria for Section 3 (10 points):
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Takes the form of an academic essay including an introduction, supporting paragraphs connected by
tight transitions, and a conclusion
Has a clearly identifiable, persuasive, unique, and focused thesis that the rest of the mini-essay is
supporting
Essay analyzes how the film shapes the audience’s perception of psychological health and influences
how the viewer thinks about the disorder (and the consequences of the portrayal).
Essay considers what message the film is sending about “crazy” people and how those messages
reinforce or subvert social fears or anxieties.
All points include examples from the film
Any research included is correctly documented using MLA style
At least 1 ½ pages and no more than 3 pages in length
Carefully edited and proofread
What your paper should not include:
 a review, personal reaction, or response
 a biography of the director or actors or a synopsis of what the director/actors say in the
“Director’s Cut” of the film
 a plot summary (don’t tell us what happens in the film – at all.)