Sound Bites

How should a character sound? This interesting question arose when I was talking to friends the other day. Like me, they have travelled widely and have met people from all walks of life.

We were discussing the cognitive dissonance that arises when someone speaks in an unexpected accent. It started me thinking.

What are the stereotypes we carry around that influence who we approach and the way we approach unknown people?

What do we do when we hear an unfamiliar accent or language? Who do we think is speaking? Who do we expect to see? What do we think we know about them?

Thomas Hardy took these questions a step further, recognising that body language is as important as the words a character speaks: 'There are accents in the eye which are not on the tongue, and more tales come from pale lips than can enter an ear.'

As part of the process of creating a character, I've realised I need to pay attention to not only how the character looks, what they say and how they sound when they say it, but to whether others expect this of them. I will also be looking out for body language and its unanticipated 'sound bites'.