Dialogue and Subtext
(or: what characters say vs what they actually mean)
- In plays and scripts, characters rarely say exactly what they’re thinking.
If they did, drama would be over in five minutes. - That gap between what is said and what is meant is called subtext.
1. What is dialogue?
Definition
Dialogue
Dialogue is the spoken conversation between two or more characters in a text.
- In drama, dialogue:
- moves the plot forward
- reveals relationships
- creates conflict
- shows power and tension
- Dialogue is what the audience hears. But it’s not always the whole story.
2. What is subtext?
Definition
Subtext
Subtext is the unspoken meaning underneath the dialogue.
- It is:
- what the character really feels
- what they avoid saying
- what the audience works out
- In simple terms:
Dialogue is the words. Subtext is the meaning hiding underneath.
3. Why writers use subtext
- Subtext:
- makes characters feel realistic
- creates tension and irony
- shows conflict without spelling it out
- keeps the audience engaged
- When characters say one thing but mean another, drama happens.
4. How subtext works
- Dialogue: “I’m fine.”
- Subtext: I am not fine at all, but I don’t want to talk about it.
- The audience understands this through:
- tone
- timing
- situation
- what has happened before
5. How writers create subtext in dialogue
- Writers often use:
- Short or clipped responses: Suggest anger, discomfort, or distance
- “I’m fine,” she snapped, barely looking up, her clenched fists betraying her words.
- Avoidance: Characters change the subject or answer indirectly
- “So, how’s work?” he asked, quickly diverting attention from the argument they had been having.
- Polite language in tense situations: Suggests suppressed emotion
- “Of course, I’ll do that for you,” she said with a tight smile, masking the frustration simmering beneath her calm tone.
- Contradictions: What a character says does not match their actions
- “I don’t care,” he said, his voice trembling as he reached out to grab the letter with shaking hands.
- Repetition: Repeating words to hide or control emotion
- “I didn’t want it, I didn’t want it,” she repeated, trying to steady her breath, but the words only made her panic worse.
- Short or clipped responses: Suggest anger, discomfort, or distance
6. Dialogue, subtext, and conflict
- Subtext is especially important in conflict.
- characters avoid saying the real issue
- tension builds through what is not said
- power struggles happen through word choice
- Arguments are often more dramatic when the real conflict stays hidden.
7. Dialogue, subtext, and dramatic structure
- Subtext often:
- builds during the rising action
- explodes at the climax
- becomes clear in the resolution
- What characters refuse to say early on often drives the turning point later.
8. Using PEEL to analyse dialogue and subtext
You can analyse dialogue and subtext using PEEL.
P: Point
- Identify the subtext.
- What is really going on beneath the dialogue?
Example
- The dialogue suggests underlying tension and miscommunication between the characters, despite the calm surface language.
E: Evidence
- Use:
- a short line of dialogue
- a repeated phrase
- a vague or evasive response
Example
- This is shown when the character says, “If that’s what you want.”
E: Explain
- Explain:
- what the character actually means
- why they avoid saying it directly
Example
- Although the line sounds neutral, the subtext suggests resentment and emotional withdrawal. The character avoids open confrontation, possibly to maintain control or avoid vulnerability.
L: Link
- Link to:
- conflict or power dynamics
- character relationships
- the message of the text
Example
- As a result, the subtext deepens the conflict between the characters and highlights the theme of miscommunication.
Exam technique
- Sentence starters for analysing dialogue and subtext
- Identifying subtext
- Although the character says…, the subtext suggests…
- On the surface, the dialogue appears…, but underneath…
- The real meaning behind this line is…
- Using evidence
- This is evident when the character states…
- The subtext is revealed through the line…
- Explaining meaning
- This suggests the character feels…, but avoids saying it directly because…
- The indirect language implies suppressed emotion or tension.
- Linking to conflict or theme
- As a result, the dialogue increases tension between the characters.
- This subtext highlights the theme of…
- The unspoken meaning deepens the conflict by…
- Identifying subtext
9. Now it's your turn...
Example question
- Practice task: analysing dialogue and subtext
- Alex: You got home late.
- Sam: Yeah. Traffic was bad.
- Alex: Funny. It’s never bad when you text me.
- Sam: I didn’t think it was a big deal.
- Alex: Right.
- Your task
- Analyse the dialogue above using one PEEL paragraph.
- Question
- How does the dialogue create subtext and tension between the characters?
- What students should focus on
- What is being said on the surface
- What is really being communicated underneath
- Why the characters avoid saying the issue directly
- How this creates tension or conflict
Solution
The dialogue creates strong subtextual tension by showing conflict without stating it directly. This is evident when Alex says, “Funny. It’s never bad when you text me,” and later responds with the single word “Right.” Although Alex never directly accuses Sam of lying, these short, pointed lines suggest distrust and suppressed anger. Sam’s vague responses, such as “Traffic was bad” and “I didn’t think it was a big deal,” avoid responsibility and minimise the issue, increasing the tension between them. As a result, the subtext reveals a deeper conflict about honesty and communication, showing how unspoken resentment can be more powerful than direct confrontation.
- P: Point
- The dialogue creates strong subtextual tension by showing conflict without stating it directly.
- E: Evidence
- This is evident when Alex says, “Funny. It’s never bad when you text me,” and later responds with the single word “Right.”
- E: Explain
- Although Alex never directly accuses Sam of lying, these short, pointed lines suggest distrust and suppressed anger. Sam’s vague responses, such as “Traffic was bad” and “I didn’t think it was a big deal,” avoid responsibility and minimise the issue, which increases tension.
- L: Link
- As a result, the subtext reveals a deeper conflict about honesty and communication, showing how unspoken resentment can be more powerful than direct confrontation.
Self review
- Revision summary: dialogue, conflict, and structure
- Dialogue
- What characters say out loud
- Drives plot and reveals relationships
- Subtext
- What characters really mean
- Creates tension through what is unspoken
- Conflict
- Subtext often hides or fuels conflict
- Arguments are more dramatic when the real issue is avoided
- Dramatic structure
- Subtext often:
- builds during rising action
- surfaces or explodes at the climax
- becomes clear in the resolution
- Subtext often:
- How they work together
- Dialogue delivers the words
- Subtext delivers the tension
- Conflict gives the pressure
- Structure decides when it all comes out
- Dialogue
