Analyzing Dialogue

What does dialogue tell us about a character?

How dialogue propels the action

-What people say - and how they say it - tells us a lot about who they are as a person, or how they are feeling at the time

-Dialogue can reveal aspects, or traits, of a character, and how they feel about a person or situation

-Dialogue is a way for the author to indirectly tell us about a character (and it's how we figure people out in real life when we don't have a narrator!)

• The dialogue between Marlin and Nemo about the boat causes Nemo to go out and touch the boat
• As a result, he is captured by the diver
• This motivates Marlin to leave the safety of the reef and go search for Nemo - kicking off the rest of the film!

Based on his dialogue, we might describe Dorian as friendly, easy-going, and happy to be working with the group he is in.

Example 2

Example 1:

Example 3:

"Hey guys!" Dorian exclaimed, dropping his books on the table. "I can't believe we get to work together! I was hoping we would." He pulled back his chair and sat down. "So, are you guys ready to get started?"

"Listen here!" Dorian exclaimed, dropping his books on the table. "I don't want to be working together any more than you do, but that's the way it is." He pulled back his chair and sat down. "Now, which one of you is going to do my work for me?"

-Based on his dialogue, how would you describe Dorian?

"Oh, uh, hi," Dorian muttered, dropping his books on the table. "I guess we're working together." He pulled back his chair and sat down. "I don't really know what we're supposed to be working on, but just, uh, tell me what I should do."

Based on his dialogue,

we might describe Dorian as rude, unfriendly, or (at the very least) in a bad mood. It is clear that he is unhappy about the situation he is in.

-Based on his dialogue, we might describe Dorian as shy or uncertain. He does not seem comfortable working with the group, and is not sure what to do.

-Based on his dialogue, how would you describe Dorian?

-Based on his dialogue, how would you describe Dorian?

How dialogue provokes a decision

What is dialogue?

• "Finding Nemo"
• Initially, Nemo is uncertain about going out to touch the "butt" (the boat)
• Marlin scolds him, then tells Nemo "You think you can do these things, but you just can't!"

-Dialogue is talking! It is a conversation between two or more characters in a book, movie, video game, TV show, play, etc.

-In books and short stories written in English, dialogue is indicated by the following:

--"Quotation Marks" around speech

--Phrases like he said/she said/they said, or more descriptive speech indicators like they grumbled, she snarled, he whispered, etc.

How dialogue provokes a decision

• At first, Nemo does not want to go out to the boat
• When Marlin catches him and begins to scold him, his friends tell Marlin "he was too scared"
• Marlin then tells Nemo that starting school was a bad idea, and that he can't do the things he thinks he can
• This causes Nemo to change his mind - in defiance, he goes out, and touches the boat

Analyzing Dialogue

Standard LAFS.8.RL.1.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.