Emulating Dostoevsky's use of dialogue in 'Crime and Punishment'
I can emulate Dostoevsky's use of dialogue in 'Crime and Punishment'.
Emulating Dostoevsky's use of dialogue in 'Crime and Punishment'
I can emulate Dostoevsky's use of dialogue in 'Crime and Punishment'.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Dostoevsky uses facial expressions, body language, structure and punctuation to create effective dialogue.
- To emulate Dostoevsky, we might begin by asking what emotion our characters feel.
- Then we might consider how we can show those emotions through body language, structure and punctuation.
- When writing dialogue, often less is more when it comes to the actual exchange of words between characters.
Common misconception
That the only important part of writing a dialogue is thinking about which words the characters are going to use.
When writing dialogue, you want to consider how you can show emotion through descriptions of facial expressions, body language, and your use of punctuation and structure.
Keywords
Emulate - match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation
Dialogue - a conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film
Monosyllabic - using brief or few words to signify reluctance to engage in conversation
Realistic - a literary style which focuses on the accurate representation of life and its events
Reciprocate - respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one
Equipment
You will need a copy of the extract from Chapter 3 of 'Crime and Punishment' which is available in the additional materials.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
heightened emotion - anger, surprised, excitement
curiosity, uncertainty
uncertainty, hesitation