Dialogue and Theme

What is dialogue?

• a page that lists the characters in a play

• a record of the problems that a character faces

• conversation between two or more people

• the main character in a story

What is the purpose of dialogue?

• helps reveal the character's traits

• can show relationships

• can show tension between characters

• all of the above

For what MAIN purpose does Armstrong Sperry use this dialogue from “Ghost of the Lagoon?

“What does he really look like, Grandfather?” the boy asked, for the

hundredth time.

The old man shook his head solemnly. The light from the cookfire

glistened on his white hair. “Tupa lives in the great caves of the reef. He

is longer than this house. There is a sail on his back, not large but terrible to see, for it burns with a white fire. Once, when I was fishing beyond the reef at night, I saw him come up right under another canoe—”

“What happened then?” Mako asked. He half rose on one elbow. This was a story he had not heard before.

• helps reveal the character's traits

• can show relationship

• can show tension between characters

• none of these

What does the following dialogue reveal about the protagonist, Mako?

“What does he really look like, Grandfather?” the boy asked, for the

hundredth time.

The old man shook his head solemnly. The light from the cook fire

glistened on his white hair. “Tupa lives in the great caves of the reef. He

is longer than this house. There is a sail on his back, not large but terrible to see, for it burns with a white fire. Once, when I was fishing beyond the reef at night, I saw him come up right under another canoe—”

“What happened then?” Mako asked. He half rose on one elbow. This was a story he had not heard before.

• Mako is angry.

• Mako is curious.

• Mako is disappointed.

• None of these

What theme is BEST developed in this dialogue? 

“Your father,” he explained gently, “was one of the three fishermen in the canoe that Tupa destroyed.” His words fell upon the air like stones dropped into a deep well. Mako shivered. He brushed back the hair from his damp forehead.

Then he squared his shoulders and cried fiercely, “I shall slay Tupa and

win the king’s reward!” He rose to his knees, his slim body tense, his eyes

flashing in the firelight. 

“Hush!” his mother said. “Go to sleep now. Enough of such foolish

talk. Would you bring trouble upon us all?”

Mako lay down again upon the mats. He rolled over on his side

and closed his eyes, but sleep was long in coming.

• You must master fear and push yourself  to the limits if you are to survive.

• Kids know better than their parents almost always.

• If a shark killed once, it is bound to strike again.

• Don’t talk back to your mother. It won’t end well.

What is dialogue?

• a page that lists the characters in a play

• a record of the problems that a character faces

• conversation between two or more people

• the main character in a story

What is the purpose of dialogue?

• helps reveal the character's traits

• can show relationships

• can show tension between characters

• all of the above

For what MAIN purpose does Armstrong Sperry use this dialogue from “Ghost of the Lagoon?

“What does he really look like, Grandfather?” the boy asked, for the

hundredth time.

The old man shook his head solemnly. The light from the cookfire

glistened on his white hair. “Tupa lives in the great caves of the reef. He

is longer than this house. There is a sail on his back, not large but terrible to see, for it burns with a white fire. Once, when I was fishing beyond the reef at night, I saw him come up right under another canoe—”

“What happened then?” Mako asked. He half rose on one elbow. This was a story he had not heard before.

• helps reveal the character's traits

• can show relationship

• can show tension between characters

• none of these

What does the following dialogue reveal about the protagonist, Mako?

“What does he really look like, Grandfather?” the boy asked, for the

hundredth time.

The old man shook his head solemnly. The light from the cook fire

glistened on his white hair. “Tupa lives in the great caves of the reef. He

is longer than this house. There is a sail on his back, not large but terrible to see, for it burns with a white fire. Once, when I was fishing beyond the reef at night, I saw him come up right under another canoe—”

“What happened then?” Mako asked. He half rose on one elbow. This was a story he had not heard before.

• Mako is angry.

• Mako is curious.

• Mako is disappointed.

• None of these

What theme is BEST developed in this dialogue? 

“Your father,” he explained gently, “was one of the three fishermen in the canoe that Tupa destroyed.” His words fell upon the air like stones dropped into a deep well. Mako shivered. He brushed back the hair from his damp forehead.

Then he squared his shoulders and cried fiercely, “I shall slay Tupa and

win the king’s reward!” He rose to his knees, his slim body tense, his eyes

flashing in the firelight. 

“Hush!” his mother said. “Go to sleep now. Enough of such foolish

talk. Would you bring trouble upon us all?”

Mako lay down again upon the mats. He rolled over on his side

and closed his eyes, but sleep was long in coming.

• You must master fear and push yourself  to the limits if you are to survive.

• Kids know better than their parents almost always.

• If a shark killed once, it is bound to strike again.

• Don’t talk back to your mother. It won’t end well.