What is the role of dialogue in a narrative?

Dialogue serves multiple purposes in a narrative, but its key role is to reveal character traits and advance the plot. Through conversations between characters, readers gain insight into their personalities, motivations, and relationships. For example, the way characters speak, their choice of words, and the topics they discuss can reveal significant aspects of their identity, such as their social status, emotional state, and personal beliefs.

Furthermore, dialogue can propel the narrative forward by creating conflict, escalating tensions, or moving the story toward a resolution. It allows characters to interact in ways that reveal their desires and intentions, which in turn influences the direction of the plot and helps build the overall narrative arc. This dynamic interaction keeps readers engaged and invested in the unfolding story.