How can you create a sense of wonder in a scene using dialogue?

1 Use subtext

Subtext is what your characters imply or suggest without saying it directly. It can create tension, mystery, humor, or irony in your dialogue, and make your audience curious about what is really going on. For example, in the movie E.T., when Elliott tells his mother that he has a goblin in the closet, she dismisses him as joking, but the audience knows the truth and wonders how she will react when she finds out. Subtext can also show your characters' feelings, desires, or conflicts, and make your audience wonder what will happen next.

3 Use imagery

Imagery is a way to create vivid and memorable pictures in your audience's mind using descriptive language. You can use imagery to enhance your dialogue's emotional impact, theme, or message, and make your audience wonder about the meaning or significance of your words. For example, in the movie The Lion King, when Mufasa tells Simba about the circle of life, he uses imagery of the stars, the sun, and the land, and creates a sense of wonder about his role and destiny. You can also use imagery to foreshadow, symbolize, or metaphorize your dialogue, and create depth or intrigue in your scene.

4 Use questions

Questions are a way to create curiosity and engagement in your audience by inviting them to think or respond to your dialogue. You can use questions to reveal your characters' doubts, fears, or hopes, and make your audience wonder about their outcomes or choices. For example, in the movie The Matrix, when Morpheus asks Neo to choose between the red pill and the blue pill, he uses questions to challenge his beliefs, reality, and identity, and creates a sense of wonder about his fate and the truth. You can also use questions to hook, cliffhanger, or twist your dialogue, and create surprise or suspense in your scene.

5 Use silence

Silence is a way to create impact and emphasis in your dialogue by using pauses or gaps in your speech. You can use silence to highlight your dialogue's importance, urgency, or emotion, and make your audience wonder about the implications or consequences of your words. For example, in the movie The Silence of the Lambs, when Hannibal Lecter says "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti", he uses silence to punctuate his cannibalism, horror, and madness, and creates a sense of wonder about his character and motives. You can also use silence to build, break, or change your dialogue's tension, rhythm, or direction, and create drama or contrast in your scene.

6 Use humor

Humor is a way to create fun and entertainment in your dialogue by using jokes, puns, or irony. You can use humor to lighten your dialogue's mood, tone, or subject, and make your audience wonder about the unexpected or absurd aspects of your story. For example, in the movie Back to the Future, when Doc Brown says "Where we're going, we don't need roads", he uses humor to reveal his time machine, adventure, and innovation, and creates a sense of wonder about his invention and destination. You can also use humor to charm, mock, or subvert your dialogue, and create character or satire in your scene.