Subtext - Mine Flashcards
(26 cards)
Five ways to create subtext
- Subtext in Dialogue
- Subtext Through Setting Details
- Subtext in Character Actions
- Subtext Through Power Dynamics
- Subtext Through Recurring Details
Subtext in Dialogue - 3 ways
- Let characters lie
- Create two conversations at once
- Use strategic silence
Example of “let characters lie”
“How’s the new job?” Lisa asked.
“Great. I love it so far.” John’s jagged fingernails raked against the scabs on his wrist. “Everything I hoped for.”
“Because mom said they’re still hiring if you—”
“I said it’s great.”
Example of “Create two conversations at once”
“Remember that night swimming at the lake house?” Emma asked. “When the dock lights went out?” “And we had to be quiet because your parents were on the porch…” “The water was so cold.” “Well, it started out that way.”
Example of “use strategic silence”
“I heard about the promotion,” Mike said.
Karen kept sorting the mail.
“You deserved it. I mean, after all the extra hours you put in—”
She slid his letter across the table without looking up.
“Karen, I—”
“Your car’s blocking my garage.”
Make dialogue subtext work (4 tips)
- Give each character a clear, conflicting Object of Desire that they’re trying to pursue
- Create situations where speaking directly would cost them something
- Let readers piece together the truth through small details
- Trust readers to understand what’s really happening without explanation
Subtext Through Setting Details - 3 ways
- How You Choose to Describe the Setting
- Let Settings Tell the Story
- Show Different Character Perspectives
Example “describe the setting”
ake a basement for example:
“The shadows gathered in the corners like old secrets, each step down taking him deeper into waiting darkness. Even the damp air felt wrong against his skin, heavy with something he didn’t want to name.”
vs.
“The basement’s cool darkness promised escape from the summer heat. String lights crisscrossed the ceiling, ready to transform concrete walls into the perfect dance floor. Even the usually gloomy corners felt alive with possibility.”
Example “let settings tell the story”
“We need to talk about the will,” he said. They sat in the living room, afternoon light warming the leather couch.
vs.
“We need to talk about the will,” he said. They sat in Jenny’s room, where her soccer uniform still hung on the closet door, waiting for next season’s games that would never come.
Example “show different character perspectives”
Imagine a dog shelter:
Through one character’s eyes: “Barking echoed off concrete walls, each excited jump and wagging tail bringing back the taste of blood, the crunch of gravel under her head, the three surgeries that followed.”
Through another’s: “The cacophony of barks felt like a welcome home. Each wagging tail and hopeful face promised afternoon walks and belly rubs, tennis balls thrown until arms gave out.”
Making Setting Details Work (4 tips)
- Choose details that matter to your characters emotionally
- Let the setting echo the underlying tensions in your scene
- Show how different characters react to the same environment
- Trust readers to make connections without explanation
Subtext in Character Action - 3 ways
- Actions that contradict words
- Body language that reveals truth
- Physical distance shows relationships
Words can lie, but the body rarely does.
Example “Actions that contradict words”
“I’m happy for you,” Jenna said, lifting her champagne flute. She clinked it against his, too hard, the glass cracking in her grip. She laughed quickly, shaking her head. “Guess I got carried away.”
or
“Of course I don’t care,” Mark said, tossing his phone onto the table, face down. He smiled, easy and practiced. But every time it buzzed, his eyes flicked toward it, just for a second.
Example “Body language that reveals truth”
“Of course I trust you with the company,” David said to his son. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His eyes kept drifting to the family photo on his desk—the one from before the investigation. “You’ve earned this promotion.”
Example “Physical distance shows relationships”
The break room wasn’t that large, but somehow Amanda and Brett managed to maintain ten feet between them while making coffee. She grabbed her mug the moment he set down the pot. He waited by the door until she finished with the cream, then crammed himself in the corner, pretending to read the bulletin board, until she left.
Making Action Subtext Work (4 tips)
- Give characters clear emotions they’re trying to hide
- Choose behaviors that naturally emerge from those emotions
- Let physical actions contradict or complicate what’s being said
- Trust readers to understand the meaning behind the movements
Subtext Through Power Dynamics (3 ways)
- Status Changes Through Behavior
- Workplace and Social Structures
- Relationship Changes Through Actions
Example “Status Changes Through Behavior”
Last week, Marcus had knocked before entering the CEO’s office. Today, he walked straight in, dropped a folder on her desk, and took the chair by the window.
Sandra’s hand tightened on her pen. “I assume those are the merger documents?”
“Among other things.” He pulled out his phone and started scrolling.
Example “Workplace and Social Structures”
The summer interns always ate lunch together at the corner table. Except today, Katie sat with the senior analysts, leaving an empty chair between Raj and Chen.
When Chen reached for the salt, three people offered theirs at once.
Katie didn’t look over once.
Example “Relationship Changes Through Actions”
At the start of the summer, every Saturday night revolved around Zach—his house, his playlist, his stories.
By September, he was the last one invited. He showed up late to Alex’s party, but no one looked up when he walked in. When he told a joke, the laughter took just a second too long.
By the time they ordered pizza, his leg was shaking and he kept glancing at the door.
Making Power Dynamics Work (4 tips)
- Establish clear baseline behaviors before showing changes
- Use small details that signal larger shifts
- Let organizational structures create natural tension
- Show how relationships change through altered routines
Remember: Power rarely declares itself outright. It’s in the pause before someone speaks, the chair they choose at the table, the way a conversation shifts when they enter the room.
Subtext Through Recurring Details - 3 ways
- Meaningful Objects and Images
- Weather and Setting as Mirror
- Theme-Supporting Details
Example “Meaningful Objects and Images”
The first time Anna saw the music box, it sat pristine on her mother’s dresser, tinkling out Für Elise.
The second time, it lay silent in a moving box, wrapped in her mother’s best silk scarf.
Now it sat on her own dresser, its melody worn thin and wavering, a hairline crack splitting the dancer in two.
She wound it up anyway.
Example “Weather and Setting as Mirror”
They had their first kiss during a summer storm, rain drumming against his car windows while lightning turned the world silver-bright.
They had their first fight in October, dead leaves skittering between them across the empty park bench.
They had their last conversation in January. No snow, no rain, no wind. Just cold, still air and long shadows stretching across his driveway.
