Writing Fiction by Gotham Writers' Workshop

Author:Gotham Writers' Workshop
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Published: 2010-08-09T16:00:00+00:00

Miss Kenton had entered and said from the door:

“Mr. Stevens, I have just noticed something outside which puzzles me.”

“What is that, Miss Kenton?”

“Was it his lordship’s wish that the Chinaman on the upstairs landing should be exchanged with the one outside this door?”

“The Chinaman, Miss Kenton?”

“Yes, Mr. Stevens. The Chinaman normally on the landing you will now find outside this door.”

“I fear, Miss Kenton, that you are a little confused.”

“I do not believe I am confused at all, Mr. Stevens. I make it my business to acquaint myself with where the objects properly belong in a house. The Chinamen, I would suppose, were polished by someone then replaced incorrectly. If you are skeptical, Mr. Stevens, perhaps you will care to step out here and observe for yourself.”

“Miss Kenton, I am occupied at present.”

“But, Mr. Stevens, you do not appear to believe what I am saying. I am thus asking you to step outside this door and see for yourself”

“Miss Kenton, I am busy just now and will attend to the matter shortly. It is hardly one of urgency.”

“You accept then, Mr. Stevens, that I am not in error on this point.”

“I will accept nothing of the sort, Miss Kenton, until I have had a chance to deal with the matter. However, I am occupied at present.”

Not only do these characters speak in a formalized manner, but they become disturbed in a formalized manner. And though Mr. Stevens and Miss Kenton both strive for the propriety demanded by their setting, Miss Kenton has more trouble than Mr. Stevens with keeping her emotions in check. The interesting thing about Mr. Stevens is that, in the manner of the perfect English butler, he almost blends into the polished woodwork, and this is certainly reflected in his dialogue.

In addition to getting a sense of who characters are, dialogue can also convey a strong sense of the interaction between characters. Let’s return to the man and girl in Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants.” Here’s what they say right after they get the Anis del Toro that they ordered:

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