How do I render important dialogue between adults when writing from a child's (First person) point of view?
Replies
Thanks Kate and Jeff. My protagonist is 5 at the start (1939) and 7 towards the end. The child is reporting the dialogue where it is central to the plot. From what you've both said I think I'm on the right lines. I'll have a look at Eimar McBride though.
Is the child overhearing it, or reporting it? Kate's nailed the idea of mis-hearing unfamiliar words, but if the child is listening to the dialogue, you could show it verbatim, and then have the child question it in internal monologue, showing misunderstandings. Or not, if they've understood everything!
I think it depends on the child - how old is he or she?
There are plenty of books written in first person, with a narrator who is perhaps older than 8 or so, where all dialogue is written as you'd expect it (same as if it was an adult narrator).
Some have changed some unfamiliar words to what the child thought they heard (e.g. 'Fury' instead of 'Fuhrer' in 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas').
If the child is very young there may be so much he or she doesn't follow in adult conversation as to make it unintelligible - but that didn't stop Eimear McBride.
Thanks Kate and Jeff. My protagonist is 5 at the start (1939) and 7 towards the end. The child is reporting the dialogue where it is central to the plot. From what you've both said I think I'm on the right lines. I'll have a look at Eimar McBride though.
Is the child overhearing it, or reporting it? Kate's nailed the idea of mis-hearing unfamiliar words, but if the child is listening to the dialogue, you could show it verbatim, and then have the child question it in internal monologue, showing misunderstandings. Or not, if they've understood everything!
I think it depends on the child - how old is he or she?
There are plenty of books written in first person, with a narrator who is perhaps older than 8 or so, where all dialogue is written as you'd expect it (same as if it was an adult narrator).
Some have changed some unfamiliar words to what the child thought they heard (e.g. 'Fury' instead of 'Fuhrer' in 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas').
If the child is very young there may be so much he or she doesn't follow in adult conversation as to make it unintelligible - but that didn't stop Eimear McBride.