Characters Are Unique Individuals

As a writer I understand the importance of dialogue.  Not only can it liven up a scene, jazz up a narrative, but it can bring the characters to life.  Dialogue (or monologue) is an opportunity to give the characters depth, passion, humor, and even history.

Through dialogue you can hear the character’s regional-speak (dialect), educational background, even political and religious persuasion.  Voice, however, goes beyond dialogue.  In a sense it uses dialogue to present itself to the reader.

I’m reading a book now called “Necessary Lies” by Diane Chamberlain.  It takes place in rural North Carolina in the 60s and is written primarily in two women’s POVs, along with a number of other characters that they interact with.  Each of these characters has a distinct voice.  Even if the author did not label the chapters “Ivy” or “Jane” the reader would know immediately whose voice you were hearing.

Rather than tell you how to write distinguishable voices, I thought I’d use Diane Chamberlain’s actual words to show you.

“Ivy:  I headed home down Deaf Mule Road where it ran between two tobacco fields that on forever and ever.  I couldn’t look at all them acres and acres of tobacco we still had to get in.  My fingers was still sticky with tar from that day’s work.  Even my hair felt like it had tar in it, and as I walked down the road, I lifted one blond end of my hair from under my kerchief and checked it, but it just looked like my plain old hair.  Dried hay.  That’s what Nonnie said about my hair one time.  My own grandma, and she didn’t care about hurting my feelings.”

What do we know about Ivy from this excerpt?  She works a tobacco field, she’s blond, she’s not well-educated and she’s probably young.  She has a grandmother who says hurtful things and most likely has a poor self-image.  Now here’s the other POV.

“Jane: I pulled my car to the side of Deaf Mule Road, unable to see to drive.  I put my head in my hands.  I’d made such a mess of things.  I’d wanted to help Ivy see why this could be a good thing for her, but I’d bungled it, just as I had with Mary Ella.  How could I not bungle it?  It was just wrong.  The whole damn thing was wrong!  There was no way to be honest with a girl about sterilization without making a mess . . .”

Ahh, Jane is Ivy’s social worker.  She, too, is not sure of herself and her decisions.  She’s young and new at this job and doesn’t want to hurt anyone.  She’s well-educated but a product of her times.  She’s got her concerns about the “eugenics” program in place at the time.

Both these women have very different voices.  Even when dialogue moves back and forth between them without attributions, you have no doubt who is speaking.  Their voices are clear and distinctive.  So are their characters.

When you read, watch for “voice.” Can you distinguish one character clearly from another?  Do they all sound (and think) alike?  Without attributions, how much can you learn about the character simply from dialogue?  If the answer is not much, then the voice is weak.

I welcome samples of strong (or weak) voices in your writing.  Thanks.