The Art of Dialogue and the kitchen knife scene

[china_shop]

I was watching a YouTube video about how to write snappy dialogue (banter) by heyjameshurst. The creator used examples from The Princess Bride, The Empire Strikes Back, His Girl Friday, and The West Wing to illustrate that good dialogue is like a tennis match, a playful competition, and in each volley the tension escalates to "a sudden, sharp reveal of truth."

Afterwards, I was thinking about it in terms of Guardian, and the first scene that came to mind was the kitchen knife scene. Wow, this is a stellar example of what the video talked about! It's dynamic because every line fires back in a way that is difficult for the other person to respond to. (Often they're reacting to the subtext -- or actually, what they perceive the other's subtext to be -- rather than the words, and sometimes slightly at cross-purposes, so lines that could be non-sequiturs feel seamless.) And the truth is forced out of them. It's so impressive!

ZYL: I woke up because I was hungry.
SW: *turns and drops the knife*
ZYL: *strides over and grabs his wrist* Don't you think of lying to me. What did you do in order to heal my eyes?
SW: *starts to leave*
ZYL: You used the Longevity Dial.
SW: *stops*
ZYL: *moves to his side* You shared your life force with mine. You used your power to neutralize the corrosion of my body. Am I right?
SW: My... My... My body's energy structure has suffered a severe blow. I need to exchange all my energy.
ZYL: It must hurt a lot.
SW: *ghastly smile* Fortunately... Fortunately, I'm used to getting injured.
ZYL: I do not deserve what you are doing for me.
SW: You're worth it.
ZYL: *explodes* Then, what do you want me to do? Be indebted to you? To bow to you? You are not immortal! Why should I so casually owe you a life?
SW: This life is what I'm returning to you.
ZYL: ??????
SW: You should rest soon.

There are so many truths here!! <3 <3 <3

Thinking about it also made me realise something about Shen Wei's initially trying to leave and his "Fortunately, I'm used to getting injured" line, which I will explain in six screencaps:













Newsflash, Shen Wei: Zhao Yunlan's tactics are no more reassuring or less infuriating when you try them.

Comments

[facethestrange]

Oh, I see what you mean! I think this exact thing probably doesn't happen indeed (though I obviously may be forgetting something). I was thinking 'anything where the hurt person says it's nbd but gets treated as if it is a big deal', and I would definitely put 'feeding someone' and 'being furious at someone for hurting themselves' in this category. But in doesn't fit in the more narrow/more verbal category, I can definitely see that!

[china_shop]

I wasn't even thinking about it in terms of verbal/not verbal. Just that "It must really hurt" is the kind of sympathy than can make you focus on, you know, how much it hurts; whereas being attacked with a handkerchief is almost invigorating. ;-p

Shen Wei gives comfort in a practical (and, when the hurt is self-inflicted, infuriated) way: food, liniment/first aid, physical support, peptalk, putting unconscious!ZYL to bed. Like, even when ZYL gets whacked with a metal bar during the mugging, SW asks, "Are you all right?" and when ZYL says yeah, SW doesn't argue in the moment.

It's not that ZYL's sympathy is wrong at all -- but I don't know that it's what SW needs? (Whereas, ZYL putting drunk!SW to bed and giving him an IV is much more in line with SW's style of care.)

[facethestrange]

"Just that "It must really hurt" is the kind of sympathy than can make you focus on, you know, how much it hurts; whereas being attacked with a handkerchief is almost invigorating. ;-p"

Hmm, this is what from my perspective feels the same - he's still saying that it hurts? Otherwise he wouldn't be attacking him with a handkerchief. :P

"Shen Wei gives comfort in a practical (and, when the hurt is self-inflicted, infuriated) way: food, liniment/first aid, physical support, peptalk, putting unconscious!ZYL to bed."

And that's kinda exactly what I originally meant when I said they both do that - it's in different ways, but SW still gives comfort when ZYL doesn't want comfort (or doesn't think he needs it, or doesn't think he deserves it, or thinks that nothing bad is happening at all, either way, he makes it clear that he's not asking for comfort at all).

[china_shop]

Hmm, this is what from my perspective feels the same - he's still saying that it hurts? Otherwise he wouldn't be attacking him with a handkerchief. :P

But Shen Wei isn't wiping ZYL's nose because it hurts (ZYL doesn't even notice the nosebleed until SW does); he's wiping ZYL's nose because there's blood there, ie, ZYL has injured himself again. ZYL doesn't ask for sympathy, and SW doesn't give it.

I guess I'm just distinguishing between "you're hurt/injured (and I will look after you as appropriate)" and "that must hurt (and it hurts me that you're in pain)." To me, those are really different vibes? Maybe that's just me, tho.

/possibly belabouring the point at this point, and should definitely be asleep ;-)

[facethestrange]

"But Shen Wei isn't wiping ZYL's nose because it hurts (ZYL doesn't even notice the nosebleed until SW does); he's wiping ZYL's nose because there's blood there, ie, ZYL has injured himself again. ZYL doesn't ask for sympathy, and SW doesn't give it."

I guess I just mean, Zhao Yunlan is not asking to have his nose wiped either, blood or not? Same with getting fed, he doesn't ask for it either, SW does it anyway.

I absolutely respect the vibes feeling different! :) I don't even disagree at all, I just personally can't tell the difference (beyond the verbal/non-verbal one, that is), but it doesn't at all mean that there isn't one. :)

(Sleep well! :) ♡)

[trobadora]

That's all so true about SW's style of care, I adore it. :D