Thoughts about Clarice

I’m glad I never listen to people and always do and think what the hell I want.

Especially with readings.

I often heard things like Hannibal is shit because he rapes Clarice while she is unconscious!

No, Hannibal is shit for many reasons but not for that. I don’t know why you have to find one more, he is already shit as he is, don’t twist the book to make a point.

I mean, if you are on a mission from God to convince people not to read Harris’ books, at least don’t use something that it’s not there.

 

Anyway…

In my opinion, probably unpopular, Starling is not abused or forced into staying with Hannibal.

The ending of Hannibal made me feel glad about the amazing idea of exchanging Clarice with Will in Hannibal tv show. It’s perfect, I won’t stop saying it.

It’s perfect, the only shame is that we were just at the beginning. There was so much more to say about them, so many scenes to see that would have been great with Will in them instead of Clarice. Because it has much more sense.

My opinion.

And I have to add something even more unpopular. I quite disliked Starling more or less throughout Hannibal.

I had the feeling she chose Lecter just because her life was ruined. She had nothing to lose with Hannibal, quite the contrary.

This is not something you can say about Will. He tried to have his life back, he couldn’t because he wanted Hannibal.

Clarice goes with him because… Why not?

She goes to Muskrat Farm, she goes there alone. She doesn’t go there because she’s in love with Hannibal and wants to save him -that would be acceptable, I mean, her choice to love a serial killer as I always say- she goes there because it’s better than face it the complete mess that is her life. A mess not because of her, obviously, she is surrounded by shit and she lives in a world full of men who uses her as a scapegoat. But I don’t like who gives up, I’m sorry.

And she gives up.

She does that stupid and risky thing in the name of what, exactly? There’s no real purpose in her actions, just recklessness because she is tired of everything. Why should she be worried for Hannibal? Why should she risk her life -it’s a suicide mission from whatever angle you look at it-? For justice? For the FBI that treated her like shit? In the hope of getting her career back? How? By shooting people with a gun she shouldn’t use? The FBI would have ruined her anyway.

She goes there because she has nothing else. That’s my opinion.

And I don’t like that kind of people.    

Will’s reasons are way deeper, meaningful.

God, I like how Bryan changed all that I ended up dislike in the book. I think it’s normal to love a writer more than another just because he writes what you like. And Bryan did.

In all the stupid and risky things that Will does there’s never desperation or hopelessness.     

I’m talking about feelings, here, not absolutes. I feel this. When you read you have the right to feel in a certain way and you can’t avoid it. My feelings say I don’t like what Starling does.

As much as I don’t like Will’s doubts, I don’t like Clarice’s choice out of desperation. And to me, it is a choice.

At the end of the book Harris clearly says that drugs and hypnosis stopped being the reasons behind Clarice’s decision of staying with Hannibal a long time before. She enjoys being his lover.

To my eyes Clarice is way worse than Will. And I’m not biased in saying this. I see many things I don’t like in Will, but I know for sure that Hannibal and Will’s relationship is between equals.

Clarice is just a more enthusiast and happier Bedelia. I can’t take care of myself, everyone is mean to me, please Dr. Lecter take me with you and show me beautiful things I don’t care if you killed and kill people.

I know I’m cruel and probably unfair, but I don’t like her a bit.

I repeat. Feelings.

It’s funny that books-Clarice suffered the same fate as movies-Clarice, in my mind. I love the SotL Clarice as much as I really don’t like Hannibal Clarice. I’m talking about the actresses.