Creating a Character
Through Dialogue
•To use dialogue to show the personality of the character.
•To use the correct conventions of speech.
•To include both direct and reported speech in a dialogue.
•To include adverbs to describe how an action is done.
•To include other words instead of said.
How do we create a character through the words they say?
By K. Broad.
Candles were glowing inside of the cottage,
flickering brightly against the shutters and
glistening against the wet pathway.
Cassie knocked lightly on the door, standing back
and taking a deep breath, waiting patiently to be
invited inside.
“Go away!” came the gruff voice from inside.
“Please..” Cassie begged desperately. “I’ve come to
help. The doctor sent me”
“I’m not opening the door to strangers. Now- is not
the time.” The unfriendly answer was harsh and
Cassie felt that she did not deserve to be
mistrusted without first introducing herself
properly.
“Mr. Foster, really, I don’t mean to trouble you. I am
a nurse…. sent to help you…. with your
daughter. She’s a very sick girl!” Cassie
struggled pathetically to get the words out. Mr.
Foster sounded cold and distant through the
door. Cassie was frozen through her cape, which
fluttered wildly in the growing breeze.
Cassie turned slowly to leave. She knew when she
wasn’t wanted. It hurt her to disappear when a
little girl was in need, but there was nothing she
could do.
Which dialogue is reported and
which is direct?
“Wait!” came the shout from the doorway.
Mr. Foster apologised quickly for doubting Cassie
but he didn’t want strangers dealing with his
daughter when she was in so much pain.
“I understand Mr. Foster, your little girl needs more
help and I have been sent to help you.” Cassie
replied truthfully.
Cassie continued to explain how the doctor had
been detained on an emergency and would be
arriving shortly. Eventually, Mr. Foster opened his
door and motioned for Cassie to enter. She
stepped cautiously into the room. The unfriendly
approach with Mr. Foster had unnerved her and
Cassie did not know how to reassure him.
“You had better get on with it, although I
don’t know what you think you can do!” Mr.
Foster coughed loudly, “My daughter is
through there, take care not to startle her.”
“Believe me Mr. Foster, I will do nothing of
the sort. The doctor would not have had me
come out here at this time of night alone
without the hope that I might do some
good.” Cassie felt her cheeks glowing
warmly with her sudden outburst. Cassie
was used to feeling welcome when she
tended to others in need.
Cassie entered a small room, dimly lit with bundles of
blankets warmly wrapped around a quivering girl.
She told Cassie to sit on the edge of the bed and not to
worry about her Father who treated others coldly.
Cassie could see that she had a temperature and
although she looked about fourteen she had lost a lot
of weight. The infection had obviously affected her
greatly, leaving her unable to get up.
“Could you open your mouth, and look this way?” Cassie
requested gently.
“My throat is very sore, it hurts to swallow.” the girl
coughed harshly.
“I understand, just for a moment then.” Cassie requested
again politely, hoping to put the girl at ease.
“I have felt so ill for such a long time, but I never told
Father, he worries so much.” the girl explained weakly.
“Don’t worry. With the proper care we’ll have you fit
again in no time.” Cassie smiled brightly, trying to
sound hopeful although she knew the girl would
be lucky. She was breathing shallowly and Cassie
suspected that her lungs were also damaged.
Cassie explained that the girl had to take some
medicine every day until the next time she visited
and that she needed to rest completely.
“Thank you for coming Cassie” the girl gratefully
replied, feeling better already.
“I’ll be back, just as long as that Father of yours
allows me in!” Cassie smiled warmly. She would
risk Mr. Foster again as long as his daughter
became well again…..
Toolkit for writing Dialogue
• Use speech marks for direct speech.
• Use the correct commas, question marks
and exclamation marks.
• Put each new speaker on a new line.
• Use some reported speech in long
conversations.
• Use a variety of words instead of said.
• Include adverbs to describe how words
are said.