1. Dialogue Reading Strategies: Dialogue As Action

2. What is shown through dialogue?
What the character says (face value)
“I am innocent to a witch. I know not what a witch is.” -Martha Corey (p.1291)
“Mr. Hale, you surely do not doubt my justice.” -Judge Danforth (p. 1301)
What the character says indirectly
“You come so late I thought you’d gone to Salem this afternoon.” -Elizabeth Proctor (p. 1268)
Why? (purpose/motive)

3. What is shown through dialogue?
What the character lies about
“My husband- is a goodly man, sir.” -Elizabeth Proctor (p. 1311)
What the character does not say
With great fear: “I will fear nothing.” She looks about the room, as though to fix it in her mind. “Tell the children I have gone to visit someone sick.” -Elizabeth Proctor (p. 1285).
Why? (purpose/motive)

4. By definition, dialogue is between two or more characters
Shows relationship between characters
Dynamic of power between characters
From Pulp Fiction:
Mia: “Don’t you hate that?”Vincent: “What?”
Mia: “Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it’s necessary to yak about nothing in order to be comfortable?”
Vincent: “I don’t know. That’s a good question.”
Mia: “That’s when you know you’ve found somebody special. When you can just shut up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.”

5. What is shown by how a character speaks?
Where the character is from (ethnicity/nationality)