Text AnalysisCharacterisation, Dialogue and Voice

IntroductionAll novels, short stories, poems and plays are about people.

Even if they seem to be about something else, they will be about people - for example a text that seems to be about nature, may actually about the way human beings destroy nature, or are made small and unimportant by nature.

Texts explore ideas by throwing opposing themes together so always look at how characters contrast. Look at how they are described and whether their words match their actions. Consider whether they 'sympathetic' (we are supposed to like them) or unsympathetic (we're not).

CharacterisationYou need to think about what the set of characters in

your text are like, and it is really important to demonstrate how you know what the characters are like. Look at what characters say (dialogue) and what they do (action). How are they described by the author, or narrator, and how they are seen by other characters? Consider what happens to them at the end of their story.

CharacterisationCharacters in great, lasting, stories are sculpted by : 1. every word chosen2. the construction of every prose element3. the rhythmic pacing4. the character-specific accuracy of metaphors related to

character development5. the actions and reaction to the plot, be it fatalistic or character-

based, or both (usually). To achieve this in fiction, an author creates from a broad knowledge of the world and humanity. In almost every instance, character development is more effective when an author imagines what the character (not the author) feels, thinks, and does in the story setting.

Voice

Voice means how we hear characters speak in dialogue, and how what they say makes them seem like living, breathing people.

It also refers to the voice of the author or narrator. To identify the voice of a text ask the following questions:How is the story told - what writing techniques are used?What is the feeling or attitude of the narrator?Do we get a clear sense of the narrator as a character in

the story, with attitudes and feelings, or are the characters the only real people in the story?

How to identifying character contrastsLooking for contrasts or contradictions :

between characters AND within each character. In real life no one is simply good or bad - all effective characters have more than one side to their personality.What makes novels, plays and poems interesting is change,

which is true for characters too. Look for how the relationships between characters change

over the course of a text. Think about what brings certain characters together and what

drives them apart.Look at changes within a particular character. These changes

will often be the result of a conflict within the character that you'll notice early on in a story.

Typical contrasts between charactersCharacters who : think versus characters who feel. talk versus characters who act. lead versus those who care for others. want one thing versus those who want another.

Sociable characters versus solitary characters.Predators who prey on people versus prey people who become victims.

Typical contrasts within a character :

A person who thinks or talks too much then finally learns to act. A person who acts impulsively then finally learns to think. A loner who comes to learn the value of friendship. A victim who finally manages to stand up to a bully. A character who sacrifices something important to pursue a goal of their own. A sociable character who finds time to explore and understand themselves as an individual. A strong leader who cares about the consequences of their actions or who listens to the

voice of others.

Writing techniques that create charactersNovels, plays and poems don't simply tell you what a character is like, they show you by:

describing what characters doreporting what characters sayshowing you what characters look like, what they are

wearing, or the objects they are surrounded byusing imagery and metaphor to express aspects of their

identity

Writing techniques that create characters

setting - sets the story in a real time and placecharacter - creates distinctive, contrasting characters whose

voices we can clearly hearlanguage - characters use a dialect that identifies them

strongly with their lifestyle.( the jobs they do ,where they live…)

imagery - use of similes and metaphors to make points about character

structure - the way the narrative is written creates movement and sets the mood for the characters for example one could use dialogue to dominating the storytelling.

Concluding on characterisation and voice

Above all, you need to listen to what characters say.

Look closely at the dialogue and use your knowledge to see how characters reveal themselves though their own particular idiolect.