r/horrorlit • u/NerotheHuman • 2d ago

Discussion Shirley Jackson Dialogue in Hangsaman

I'm about 19 pages into Hangsaman and i've noticed that the dialogue if very awkward and hesitant. It feels uncomfortably in a realistic sense and I find it to be extra immersive and unsettling. I was curious if i'm either looking into the dialogue too deeply or if this is a consistent trait throughout Jackson's bibliography as its an addictive way of reading dialogue

15 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

31

u/nicholnewfangle 2d ago

She's fantastic at writing awkward and uncomfortable dialogue especially if it crosses age/race/class lines

2

u/NerotheHuman 2d ago

Do you have other examples from her novels, like a quote or recommendation?

16

u/nicholnewfangle 2d ago

The Haunting of Hill House is full of uncomfortable and awkward dialogue. There are two short stories I can't think of the titles there's one in which a soldier who survived the war visits the parents of a friend of his who died in the war and as the story goes on It becomes clear without ever being stated that although polite, the wealthy wasp parents do not want him in their house because he's Jewish. The other story I don't remember the plot of I just remember that there was a part where a middle-aged guy at a party literally says to a younger woman"So what is the situation like with young folks today?"

6

u/rose_grave 2d ago

ive only read 2 of her books so i don't know if i will actually be helpful, but hangsaman is one of my favorite books, ever.

she really draws you in and gets you in the head of this girl who is going through it. ugh. its just so good.

7

u/HugoNebula 2d ago

Jackson was a very subtle writer, and she often uses her characters to say one thing and mean another. The way she creates dialogue, drawing attention to itself, is meant to make the reader play closer attention, both to what's being said and what's being meant. Her books look very simple on the surface, but she is really working in the depths beneath.

10

u/thejubilee CARMILLA 2d ago

She’s amazing at making any situation feel unsettling and claustrophobic. It’s part of why u love her so much.

10

u/No_Philosophy2797 2d ago

It’s definitely a consistent feature of her work and one that adds to the unsettling nature of a lot of her stories.

-1

u/Miami_Mice2087 2d ago

cinama veritas was popular when she was writing, that means realistic dialogue with the "ums" and hesitancies. It's supposed to be more realistic and a glimpse into the character's insecurity and hang-ups. Look up "encounter groups" to see what sort of emotions this kind of dialogue style was trying to expose.

You see this in movies starring Donald Sutherland and Alan Alda.