How Dialogue & Incidents Propel Action, Reveal Character, & Provoke Decisions

Every great story needs forward motion. Characters can't just sit around thinking—something has to happen. For thousands of years, storytellers have relied on two powerful tools to keep a story moving: the words characters say to each other (dialogue) and the events that occur (incidents). Together, these tools push the plot forward, show us who the characters really are, and force characters to make tough choices.

Let's look at some milestones in how writers have used dialogue and incidents across the centuries.

Here's the big question this lesson answers: How exactly do the words a character speaks and the events in a story make things happen? By the end, you'll be able to spot—and analyze—how dialogue and incidents serve three key purposes: propelling the action, revealing character, and provoking decisions.

When you read a story or watch a play, dialogue (the words characters say) and incidents (the events that happen) aren't just there for fun. They serve three key functions. Once you know what to look for, you'll start noticing them everywhere.

Below is a diagram showing how one incident or line of dialogue can branch out and affect a story in multiple ways. Notice how a single moment can propel action, reveal character, and provoke a decision—all at the same time.

As you can see, the dialogue or incident sits at the center. It sends out ripples in three directions. Sometimes it only does one of these things. But in the strongest, most powerful moments, a single line or event does all three—that's when the story really grabs you.

When you're reading a story or watching a play, how do you actually analyze whether a line of dialogue or an incident is doing one of these three jobs? Here's a simple method you can use every time.

Let's break each step down so you can use this like a toolkit.

Step 1: Identify the Moment

Find the exact line of dialogue or the specific incident. Quote it or describe it precisely. Don't be vague—point to the exact words or event. For example, instead of "Romeo talks to Juliet," say "Romeo says, 'But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?'"

Step 2: Trace the Consequences

Ask yourself: what happens because of this moment? Does it start a new conflict? Does it change the relationship between characters? Does it move the characters to a new place or situation? If the story would be different without this moment, it's propelling the action.

Step 3: Look at Character

What does this moment tell you about the character who speaks or the character who is affected by the event? Consider their word choice, their tone, and their reaction. A character who screams "I don't care!" clearly does care, or they wouldn't react so strongly. That reaction reveals character.

Step 4: Spot the Decision Point

Does this moment force anyone to make a choice? A character hearing bad news might decide to run, fight, or forgive. If the moment creates a fork in the road, it's provoking a decision. The decision then becomes the next turning point in the plot.

Use this flowchart whenever you encounter a key moment in a story. It helps you organize your thinking and write a strong analysis. Remember: one moment can check more than one box!

Let's look more closely at the difference between dialogue and incidents, and how each one can serve the three story functions. The table below gives you specific signals to watch for when you're reading.

Let's practice the four-step method with a short scene. Read the passage below, then follow along as we analyze it.

Analyzing dialogue and incidents is one of the most useful skills in reading literature. But like any approach, it works best when you understand its strengths and its limits.

The skill you're building here—identifying how dialogue and incidents function in a story—is the foundation for more advanced literary analysis that you'll encounter in high school and beyond. Here's how it connects to bigger ideas.

In high school English, you'll be asked to write full essays that argue how a character's development is shaped by specific dialogue and events. You might also study dramatic irony (when the audience knows something a character doesn't) and how dialogue creates it. The skill of noticing cause and effect in a story—this moment caused that result—is something you'll use in almost every literature class from now on.

For now, the most important thing is practice. The more stories you read with these three questions in mind (action, character, decision), the faster and more naturally you'll spot the key moments.

Try these five problems on your own. Read each question carefully, think about your answer, then click "Show Answer" to check your thinking. The problems get a little more challenging as you go.