Dialogue

The manipulation of dialogue within a text can impact greatly on the audiences
perception of character and situation. The module Experience through language has
revealed the way in which dialogue can be used to portray characters and situations in
a variety of contexts. The three poems Enter without so much as knocking,
Weapons training and Big Jim by Brice Daw support the idea in which dialogue
can be used to show values and beliefs. One additional text that further exemplifies
dialogue is a short story, The test by Angelica Gibbs.
Dialogue is conversation between people in which language is used to show the
interaction of characters in a social context. Sometimes language can involve a
dramatic monologue in which one person may represent their inner most feelings and
desires. A composer can use dialogue to highlight feelings and emotions in a more
dramatic way than simply describing them.
Bruce Dawe is a social satirist who deals with contemporary problems. He brings his
poems to life by giving them a realistic vernacular voice that allows him to highlight
peoples attitudes in certain situations.
Enter without so much as knocking is a sarcastic look at the negative features of
modern life, particularly materialism. Dawe explores such themes as dehumanisation
and social conformity and uses a range of language and structural techniques to help
support these themes.
Daw makes use of techniques such as exaggeration, sarcasm and caricature to ridicule
the materialism that infects modern society; NO BREATHING EXCEPT BY
ORDER, this deliberate exaggeration and the use of capitol letters convey the
congestion and stress that is present in our society. Dawe also uses an irregular
structure to emphasise the chaotic environment, which is present day society. The use
of dialogue helps set the scene of this situation.
Materialism is expressed through a ceaseless literary of advertising slogans, rules,
instructions and clichs. Advertising jargon, for example, one economy sized mum
and, Anthony Squires coolstream summerweight dad is deliberately used to
characterise the people as having no individuality or identity.
Figurative language such as similes, like kids at the circus and alliteration, faces
snarled screamed is manipulated so that the responders get a vivid picture of what is
being described, which impacts strongly on the audiences perception of character and
situation.
Weapons Training is a poem written in the form of an address being given to a group
of raw recruits by an experienced, roughly spoken, gruff mannered sergeant. His
manner is intimidating and derogatory and his authoritative tone emphasises his
control over them. Control, debasement and danger are all themes that are present in
this poem.

Daw uses stereotypes to help depict the image of a ranting army sergeant. The
emotive language creates techniques of fear, anger and frustration and personalised
attacks such as are you queer? increases the sense of menace and vulgarity. These
techniques are effective in characterising the sergeant and making the audience feel
uneasy.
Word choice is a particularly valuable technique in this poem. The terminology while
simple is packed with double meaning that helps develop a pervading negative
atmosphere. Monosyllabic words such as click, queer and tit give the poem a
blunt and direct feel while polysyllabic words including bloody add layers of
meaning.
Various language techniques are further expressed in Weapons Training. Limited
punctuation, instructional and colloquial language along with an imperious tone gives
the poem a forceful, authoritative resonance. The colloquial tone and language is
evident with idiomatic expressions such as copped the bloody lot and slang terms
such as queer and nit. Thus, a range of techniques has helped set the scene and
dialogue has revealed the character and has altered the audiences perception.
In the poem Big Jim, a picture is painted of a working class man who is proud of his
origins and achievements. He appears gregarious and full of self-confidence and the
simple joy of life. The main themes of Big Jim are individualism and working class
hero, which are shown clearly through a range of linguistic and imagery techniques.
The irregular stanza length enhances the colloquial, conversational tone of the poem.
The combination of formal terms such as vendetta and intoning with slang terms
including guts and belly demonstrate the stature of the man.
Imagery is used to portray Jims character as overwhelming and somewhat
intimidating. Dawe captures his sense of size by reference to his freckled paw as he
reaches for fosters. Imagery is further used when the beer is being categorised by
colour imagery as chilled/amber and also with the smoky Melbourne sunlight.
These examples of imagery are effective in setting the scene in an Australian context.
In the short story, The Test by Angelica Gibbs, the interaction of three people; the
driving instructor, Marian and Mrs Erickson are portrayed in a certain place through
the use of dialogue and various language techniques.
Various inferences are used by the white inspector such as Why do you want to drive
a car?, the inference being that she could never afford one and Read that sign at the
end of the bridge, implicating that Marian cannot read. This technique is effective in
showing the attitudes and beliefs of the instructor, the beliefs that all black people
came from slave origin and it shows his prejudices.
The use of southern drawl is evident when the instructor breaks into dog my cats if I
didnt think yall came from down yonder , this shows the prejudices the instructor
has as he assumed Marian is a poor black woman from slave origins in the south of
the United States.

Mrs Erickson, Marians employer genuinely likes Marian, but language is used to
show the inequality between them. For example Marian calls her employer Mrs
Erickson and Maam.
Dialogue has been used vastly in this story to reveal certain characters in given
circumstances; it reveals the prejudices and inequalities between each of the three
characters.
Both composers discussed above have manipulated dialogue and used a range of
techniques in their texts. These paint a certain picture in the audiences mind and can
alter their perception of character and situation