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g_dia.txt Driver File Contents (ASManager2_6.zip)

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Creating Character through Dialogue

In these files you are learning about and practicing the use of six basic strategies for developing character. They are:

1) Description
2) Dialogue
3) Action
4) Reactions of other characters
5) Setting
6) Narrative

This file focuses on developing characters through dialogue.

By letting the characters talk, you can understand who they are as characters in the story. The character is revealed not only by what is said, but also how it is said.


When authors write dialogue, they usually use the word "said." For example:

"Hillary, take the shoes to the shoemaker," said Mother.

Sometimes, however, an author might want to describe how the speaker is speaking, the tone of voice, the emotions the speaker is feeling, and the urgency of the message:

"Hillary, take the shoes to the shoemaker," shouted Mother.

Or the author might describe Mother's way of speaking even more completely:

"Hillary, take the shoes to the shoemaker," shouted Mother angrily.

The following passage is from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. Type words to describe how each speaker is speaking in the angle brackets. 

You may use words from this word bank or words of your own choosing instead of "said":

Word Bank

sobbed      declared   suggested  argued    cried
questioned  bragged    corrected  inquired  asked
began       called     ordered    wept      sighed
claimed     informed   smiled     blurted   mumbled
observed    warned     snapped    advised   glared
told        reminded   stated     retorted  gulped

They were headed directly toward the center of the galaxy; then they moved off to one side; stars seemed to be rushing at them. Meg flung her arm up over her face as though to ward off the blow.

"Llookk!" Mrs. Which <  >.

Meg dropped her arm. They seemed to be moving in toward a planet. She thought she could make out polar ice caps. Everything seemed sparkling clear.

"No, no, Medium dear, that's Mars," Mrs. Whatsit <  >.

"Do I have to?" the Medium <  >.

"Nnoww!" Mrs. Which <  >.

The bright planet moved out of their vision. For a moment there was the darkness of space; then another planet. The outlines of this planet were not clean and clear. It seemed to be covered with a smoky haze. Through the haze Meg thought she could make out the familiar outlines of continents like pictures in her Social Studies books.

"Is it because of our atmosphere that we can't see properly?" she <  >.

"Nno, Mmegg, yyou knnoww thatt itt iss nnott tthee attmosspheeere," Mrs. Which said. "Yyou mmusstt bee brrave."

"It's the Thing!" Charles Wallace <  >. "It's the Dark Thing we saw from the mountain peak on Uriel when we were riding on Mrs. Whatsit's back!"

"Did it just come?" Meg <  >, unable to take her eyes from the sickness of the shadow which darkened the beauty of the earth. "Did it just come while we've been gone?"

Mrs. Which's voice seemed very <  >. "Ttell herr," she said to Mrs. Whatsit.

Mrs. Whatsit <  >. "No, Meg. It hasn't just come. It has been there for a great many years. That is why your planet is such a troubled one."

"But why -- " Calvin started to ask, his voice <  >.

Mrs. Whatsit raised her hand to silence him. "We showed you the Dark Thing on Uriel first -- oh, for many reasons. First, because the atmosphere on the mountain peaks there is so clear and thin, you could see it for what it is. And we thought it would be easier for you to understand it if you saw it -- well, some place else first, not your own earth."

"I hate it!" Charles Wallace <  >. "I hate the Dark Thing!"

Mrs. Whatsit nodded. "Yes, Charles dear. We all do. That's another reason we wanted to prepare you on Uriel. We thought it would be too frightening for you to see it first of all about your own, beloved world."

"But what is it?" Calvin <  >. "We know that it's evil, but what is it?"

"Yyouu hhave ssaidd itt!" Mrs. Which's voice <  >. "Itt iss Eevill. Itt iss thee Ppowers of Ddarrkknesss!"

"But what's going to happen?" Meg's voice <  >. "Oh, please, Mrs. Which, tell us what's going to happen!"

"Wee wwill cconnttinnue tto ffightt!"

Something in Mrs. Which's voice made all three of the children stand straighter, throwing back their shoulders with determination, looking at the glimmer that was Mrs. Which with pride and confidence.


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Below is the passage as the author wrote it. Read through the text and compare how Madeleine L'Engle used descriptive words to show the speaker's state of mind as each was talking.

You can more closely compare your writing with the authors by either:

1) Printing the file, or
2) Moving your modified text beside the original text.


They were headed directly toward the center of the galaxy; then they moved off to one side; stars seemed to be rushing at them. Meg flung her arm up over her face as though to ward off the blow.

"Llookk!" Mrs. Which commanded.

Meg dropped her arm. They seemed to be moving in toward a planet. She thought she could make out polar ice caps. Everything seemed sparkling clear.

"No, no, Medium dear, that's Mars," Mrs. Whatsit reproved gently.

"Do I have to?" the Medium asked.

"Nnoww!" Mrs. Which commanded.

The bright planet moved out of their vision. For a moment there was the darkness of space; then another planet. The outlines of this planet were not clean and clear. It seemed to be covered with a smoky haze. Through the haze Meg thought she could make out the familiar outlines of continents like pictures in her Social Studies books.

"Is it because of our atmosphere that we can't see properly?" she asked anxiously.

"Nno, Mmegg, yyou knnoww thatt itt iss nnott tthee attmosspheere," Mrs. Which said. "Yyou mmusstt bee brrave."

"It's the Thing!" Charles Wallace cried. "It's the Dark Thing we saw from the mountain peak on Uriel when we were riding on Mrs. Whatsit's back!"

"Did it just come?" Meg asked in agony, unable to take her eyes from the sickness of the shadow which darkened the beauty of the earth. "Did it just come while we've been gone?"

Mrs. Which's voice seemed very tired. "Ttell herr," she said to Mrs. Whatsit.

Mrs. Whatsit sighed. "No, Meg. It hasn't just come. It has been there for a great many years. That is why your planet is such a troubled one."

"But why--" Calvin started to ask, his voice croaking hoarsely.

Mrs. Whatsit raised her hand to silence him. "We showed you the Dark Thing on Uriel first -- oh, for many reasons. First, because the atmosphere on the mountain peaks there is so clear and thin, you could see it for what it is. And we
thought it would be easier for you to understand it if you saw it -- well, someplace else first, not your own earth."

"I hate it!" Charles Wallace cried passionately. "I hate the Dark Thing!"

Mrs. Whatsit nodded. "Yes, Charles dear. We all do. That's another reason we wanted to prepare you on Uriel. We thought it would be too frightening for you to see it first of all about your own, beloved world."

"But what is it?" Calvin demanded. "We know that it's evil, but what is it?"

"Yyouu hhave ssaidd itt!" Mrs. Which's voice rang out. "Itt iss Eevill. Itt iss thee Ppowers of Ddarrkness!"

"But what's going to happen?" Meg's voice trembled. "Oh, please, Mrs. Which, tell us what's going to happen!"

"Wee wwill cconnttinnue tto ffightt!"

Something in Mrs. Which's voice made all three of the children stand straighter, throwing back their shoulders with determination, looking at the glimmer that was Mrs. Which with pride and confidence.

Excerpted from A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle.
Copyright 1962 by Madeleine L'Engle Franklin. Reproduced by permission of Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Inc.


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