Language

Style of language

Dialogue is briefly used in “Ice Cream” by Helen Dunmore to depict the relationships between characters. When Clara speaks, she is barely able to speak the words “ice cream”, which suggests that she is in a kind of trance, triggered by her craving. When Elise speaks, she does so professionally, with the intention of helping Clara let go of the thought of hunger: “ ‘Close your eyes, Clara. Deep breaths. You are lying on golden sand, Clara, by the blue ocean. Listen to the waves. Listen to the wind in the palm trees. You are completely relaxed, completely relaxed…’ ” (p. 84, ll. 3-5). Most of Elise’s sentences contain an imperative, which shows that she is used to giving Clara orders and suggests that she is the one in control. 

The choice of words reveals that the characters belong to the fashion industry: “agency to agency” (p. 84, l. 22), “shoot” (p. 85, l. 2), “photographers, actors, agents, editors” (p. 85, l. 8). The choice of words also evokes the atmosphere of the restaurant: “theatre of the restaurant” (p. 83, l. 12), “black-clad waiters and waitress...