Quentin Tarantino writes some of the best dialog I’ve ever seen. Pulp Fiction is one of my all-time favs; Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill both are really good. He writes dialog like a play, its incredibly natural and believable, but also very very efficient.

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The most amazing thing about this jump forward of G’s many jumps forward with regard to her cognition and communication is that this one seemed to circle in from the outside and then explode out of her all at once.   It was memory, it was self-awareness, it was dialog, and patterns, and habits, and many more things that suddenly have become…reason.   Its been an exponential development.   She went from an tinyHuman to a fully-engaged chatterbox overnight.   And the conversations are a joy.   Did I mention reason?   She understands, she comprehends, she can be placated.   All hope is not lost!

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From Wikipedia: Tarnatino often uses unconventional storytelling device in his films, such as retrospective, with frequent flashbacks (Reservoir Dogs), non-linear (Pulp Fiction), “chapter” format (Kill Bill, Four Rooms), or time-twisting.

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A recent conversation:
G: (climbing a ladder at the playground she has never mastered before) – I need help.
Me: Go ahead. I’ll catch you.
G: I made it. I can’t believe it.
Me: Good Job.
G: I’m a big girl. Your turn. I’ll catch you.
Me: Ok. Here I am.
G: Come slide with me. You sit down first. (touching my arm) Is that your owie?

Another exchange, while watching TV:
Me: What is Wubbzy doing?
G: (face exploding into a smile that I’m watching her shows) He’s using his tools.
Me: What’s he fixing.
G: He’s, um, fixing his bike.

Leaving the Office, calling home:
Beckie: G wants to talk to you
G: Hi Daddy
Me: Hi Genevieve. How was your day?
G: I played <something unintelligible> at school today
Me: Did you have fun
G: yeah yeah yeah. We’re going to the park with Kila. Bye Daddy I love you.

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At his best, Tarantino’s characters are developed by dialog and the behaviors those dialogs dictate.   There is a tremendous amount of talking and context for what categorically are Action movies.   The characters drive the plot, which is almost not important, except as a means to reveal the characters.   The plot become a character-study, so its order is important only in the context of the character.   The effect is a much more powerful presentation of character, or overall theme when multiple characters are assembled in one context.

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Every few months, I seem to write another post about how G’s verbal and cognitive skills have improved. Each post describes changes more advanced than the rest, but my level of amazement and amusement is always consistently high. Its putting great pressure on me to continually describe G’s changes without a let-down in intensity, or a diminishing of the steps that are giant for her.

I could have named this post many things – “Chatterbox”, “Engaging Dialog, or“I’m a Big Girl” all were candidates.   They all seemed too specific and event-driven.

Me (when she is panicking): Be cool Honeybunny.
G: I’m not a bunny. I’m Genevieve.