Counting words.

Does counting the number of words in your line and the number in the other character’s line help you learn the scene?

Part of the form of the scene.

Supporting the content.

Often the two lines are equal. Rhythmic ping pong. Back and forth echoing each other.

Either in agreement - or not.

And then there’s syncopation. When the speeches of each character differ in length, composition and word-type. A five-line speech followed by a one-line answer. Unequal

The form revealing relationship, status, intent etc.

While working the Kaffee/Ross scene from Aaron Sorkin’s A Few Good Men in class we discovered that the scene ended with a couplet. Both lines with equal words and syllables; both saying the same thing.

‘Oh, ya? well blah, blah, blah.’ And the response ‘Oh, ya?! blah blah blah, to you too!’.

Same meaning, same number of sounds, same kind of single-syllable words. A couplet ending.

Sorkin knew what he wrote.

You speak English and these musical rhythms are part of that language you speak. Text expressed in repeated forms to elicit particular meanings.

Count the words.