Independent Novel Project on

Hannibal
by
Thomas Harris

Michelle Workman
Plot Summary
In Hannibal, the story of Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter and FBI Agent Clarice
Starling is continued from Thomas Harris’s novel The Silence of the Lambs. After a
botched take down of a drug dealer, Clarice Starling takes the heat and will probably be
given a desk job for the rest of her career. Meanwhile, Dr. Lecter, who escaped
authorities at the end of the previous book, has been living in Italy. The Italian chief of
police recognizes him and instead of notifying the American authorities, decides to cash
in on the hefty award given for Hannibal Lecter’s capture by his former victim, Mason
Verger.
Mason, who was savaged by Dr. Lecter, schemes to feed him to a set of
carnivorous boars that he has specially bred to do so. Over the course of the novel, Dr.
Lecter decides to give Starling a gift, gets captured, and Starling actually comes to the
rescue of him, gets shot, and then taken away by Dr. Lecter when he escapes from Mason
Verger.
The ending of the novel is not one that is expected. Dr. Lecter heals Starling from
her wounds and afterwards, they become soul mates. As corny as it may sound, it’s also
very creepy and works for this novel.

Character Sketch
Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter is a psychopath serial killer who likes to eat his
victims. Not only is he a genius, but a noted and sought after psychiatrist. Many of his
clients and acquaintances became menu items. The brilliant and sleek Dr. Lecter enjoys
the fine life and luxuries such as good food, wine, and the theatre.

Clarice Starling is a woman trying to upgrade her station in life. She has light
brown hair and an athletic build. She is also an excellent gunsman. Although rising early
in her career in the FBI by catching serial killer Jame Gumb, her ambitions are thwarted
by greedy, opportunist Paul Krendler who works in the Justice Department.

Mason Verger is the only one of Dr. Lecter’s victims to survive. However, due to
his injuries from Dr. Lecter, he is hooked up to life support machines that breathe for
him. He himself is a twisted killer who likes to feed on the pain of children. He also has
immense amounts of money and offers an award for the capture of Dr. Lecter.

Setting
The setting of this novel takes place in the United States and Florence, Italy in
what is assumed to be the late 1990’s. The author deftly contrasts the beautiful vistas of
Florence of Dr. Lecter with the dark and musty basement room where Clarice Starling
works at the FBI Behavourial Sciences and the sprawling mansion where disfigured
Mason Verger abides.

Theme
Although it may seem that crime pays off monetarily in this book (as Mason is
able to horrible things with his wealth), one of the messages of this book is to be careful
what you wish for. Mason plots for a long time to feed Dr. Lecter to pigs but he himself
is eaten. Clarice Starling wishes for acceptance and status within the FBI but will never
attain it, instead going beyond her wildest dreams with Dr. Lecter. Dr. Hannibal Lecter
also wishes to transform Clarice into the image of his dead sister but instead finds that
Starling offers herself to himself as a lover. It seems that we must all remember that our
lives may not turn out the way we thought or wished them to.

Style
Dr Lecter put two boards from the scaffolding as a ramp over the low windowsill
and rolled Pazzi on the hand truck out onto the balcony outside.
The breeze was cold on Pazzi's wet face. Talking quickly now, "You'll never get
away from this building alive. I have money. I have one hundred and sixty million lire in
cash, U.S. dollars one hundred thousand! Let me telephone my wife. I'll tell her to get the
money and put it in my car, and leave the carright in front of the palazzo."
Dr Lecter retrieved his noose from the pulpit and carried it outside, trailing the
orange cord behind him. The other end was tight in a series of hitches around the heavy
floor polisher.
 Pazzi was still talking. "She'll call me on the cell phone when she's outside, and
then she'll leave it for you. I have the police pass, she can drive right across the piazza to
the entrance. She'll do what I tell her. The car smokes, man, you can look down and see
it's running, the keys will be in it."
Dr Lecter tilted Pazzi forward against the balcony railing. The railing came to his
thighs. Pazzi could look down at the piazza and make out through the floodlights the spot
where Savonarola was burned, where he had sworn to sell Dr Lecter to Mason Verger.
He looked up at the clouds scudding low, colored by the floodlights, and hoped, so much,
that God could see. Down is the awful direction and he could not help staring there,
toward death, hoping against reason that the beams of the floodlights gave some
substance to the air, that they would somehow press on him, that he might snag on the
light beams. The orange rubber cover of the wire noose cold around his neck, Dr Lecter
standing so close to him.
"Arrivederci, Commendatore."
Flash of the Harpy up Pazzi's front, another swipe severed his attachment to the
dolly and he was tilting, tipped over the railing trailing the orange cord, ground coming
up in a rush, mouth free to scream, and inside the salon, the floor polisher rushed across
the floor and slammed to a stop against the railing, Pazzi jerked head-up, his neck broke
and his bowels fell out.
Harris, Thomas. Hannibal. Toronto: Bantam Dell, 1998.

Opinion
Although many people who reviewed this book did not like it, I really did. There
was lots of political intrigue along with the horrid fascination with Dr. Lecter himself. I
really wanted to know what would happen at the end. And then, I wanted to know more
about the lives of Dr. Lecter and Clarice Starling after they go to Argentina. The
characters are very complex which makes it an enjoyable read. I also like the way
Thomas Harris incorporates music and Italian art and history into the story.