CREATING DIALOGUES
The 5 Functions of Dialogue in a Story
Sometimes we just talk to pass the time. In the narrative, instead, each dialogue has a specific function.
Every day we spent a million words. There are several reasons to talk with someone, whether it is a colleague for work, a friend, or anyone else. Sometimes we just talk to pass the time and make conversation.
On the contrary, in narration, there is always a good reason to talk and add dialogues.
So, what are the 5 functions of a dialogue? In general, they have a specific dramaturgical purpose.
Let’s see them in detail.
The 5 functions of a dialogue
Mainly, there are 5 different functions of dialogue in a story. These are recapped below:
- Show a character through their voice
- Advance the plot
- Provide information about the time and place of the narration
- Break the monologue of the narrator
- Use the flashback to present memories
#1 Show a character through their voice
The first one shows a character through their conflicts, silences, and also contradictions.
The reader can better know all the sides of the character’s behavior by understanding their background, past and inner self.
#2 Advance the plot
The second function is to advance the plot. As we have already seen in our journey through the narrative techniques, the “show, don’t tell” one teaches that in a story, it is better to show and not to tell. This is very useful to catch the reader’s attention and to maintain it at a high level. Read the insight about the show don’t tell technique.
But dialogues are also significant to create the storyline because, thanks to dialogue, the writer can easily bring the readers inside the scene. They can also interact with the character by understanding the use of the voice, words, and how to act.
#3 Provide information about the time and place of the story
Thirdly, a dialogue can provide information and details about the time and the place of a story.
When you read a dialogue, you, as a reader, can notice an increase in the rhythm of the narration. A scene is always described through the eyes and emotions of a character.
Besides that, through dialogue is possible to give details about the time of the narration. Vocabulary, expressions, and idioms are fundamental to this goal. For example, in 1920, people spoke differently and with different terms in paragon as today. At the same time, many particulars about the place are given through dialogue.
Thanks to the accent, words, and traditions, the reader can understand a lot about the location of the story.
#4 Break the monologue of the narrator
Among these three main good reasons, there are also other motives to make use of dialogues in the story.
If you think a narration without dialogue is just a simple monologue of the narrator. The writer tells and sees everything from their point of view, without narrative breaks of any kind.
Descriptions, reflections, actions: everything is planned by the writer without any other force coming into play.
For this reason, dialogue can stop the repetitiveness of a long narration.
#5 Use the flashback to present memories
Dialogue through the narrative technique of the flashback can introduce and unlocks a memory, which is useful to better understand the present situation.
Flashback is a particular technique that allows the reader to live the character’s past and which explains well their characteristics, fears, and experiences.
Do you want to know more about the narrative technique of flashback?
Good dialogue illuminates what people are not saying.
Conclusions
Dialogue is not an element to take for granted. It can be a very useful component of your story to catch your reader’s eye and be very difficult to realize.
There are different reasons to add dialogue to your narration. You only have to find the right one for you!
Starting from here, from the functions, we keep writing about dialogues and their characteristics in the next articles.
Check out the other articles in the same series!
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