Book Anatomy · A Princess of Mars
A Princess of Mars: Dialogue and voice
16 lenses on dialogue and voice for A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
C1. Share of words in dialogue, whole book and per chapter. Count
16% dialogue. See the full lens on the book page.
C2. Each character's number of lines and share of speech. Both
Tars Tarkas speaks most, with 26% of attributed speech.
| Character | Lines | Words | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tars Tarkas | 12 | 270 | 26% |
| Than Kosis | 13 | 241 | 24% |
| Sola | 10 | 231 | 22% |
| Dejah Thoris | 6 | 194 | 19% |
| Tal Hajus | 5 | 56 | 6% |
| Lorquas Ptomel | 5 | 34 | 3% |
Carter dominates speech as first-person narrator. Dejah Thoris speaks in roughly 12 percent of dialogue. Tars Tarkas speaks in roughly 8 percent. Sola speaks in roughly 6 percent. Other characters share the remaining 4 percent. Dialogue share overall is 16.4 percent of the book.
C3. Speech fingerprint: line length, pet words, questions, exclamations. Count
Top speaker Tars Tarkas (26%). See the full lens on the book page.
C4. Dialogue tags: "said" against other verbs, and adverbs on tags. Count
'Said' is 20% of dialogue tags. Adverbs on tags: 0 in all.
| Tag verb | Count |
|---|---|
| said | 32 |
| replied | 26 |
| asked | 21 |
| answered | 19 |
| continued | 17 |
| cried | 15 |
| exclaimed | 8 |
| added | 7 |
| whispered | 5 |
| returned | 4 |
C5. Action beats used in place of tags. Both
45% of paragraphs with speech carry no tag verb at all. Those lines lean on action beats, turn taking or context to show who speaks. (rough estimate from word lists)
Action beats replace tags frequently. Chapter 6: 'a bolt of myriad-legged horror hurled itself' shows Woola's action instead of speech tag. Chapter 10: 'I rubbed the poor old fellow's head' shows affection. Chapter 25: 'with the heavy hilt, I shattered the glass' shows violent action. These beats convey emotion and intent without dialogue.
Chapters: Ch 6, Ch 10, Ch 25
a bolt of myriad-legged horror hurled itself through the doorway full upon the breast of my executioner (Ch 6, para 4)
Quieting myself, I rubbed the poor old fellow’s head and back, talked to him for a few minutes, and then in an authoritative tone commanded him to follow me, and arising started for the hills. (Ch 10, para 9)
with the heavy hilt, I shattered the glass of the great window and sprang into the midst of the astonished assemblage (Ch 25, para 8)
C6. Subtext: where people say one thing and mean another. AI
Chapter 11: Carter says he will protect Dejah Thoris but means he loves her. Chapter 13: he restrains his declaration to protect her but she reads his love. Chapter 14: Sarkoja accuses him of plotting escape when she means to provoke him. Chapter 22: Dejah Thoris says she is married to Sab Than but means she is trapped by duty.
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 22
I could not chance causing her additional pain or sorrow by declaring a love which, in all probability she did not return. (Ch 14, para 2)
I am as good as married, John Carter. No longer may you call me your princess. No longer are you my chieftain. (Ch 22, para 42)
C7. Dialect and class markers, and how they are spelt. Both
Very few spelt dialect forms in speech. (rough estimate from word lists)
No dialect markers or class speech patterns are used. All characters speak in formal, educated English regardless of origin. Martian words like 'jeddak', 'thoat', and 'Barsoom' are used without phonetic spelling. The book maintains consistent voice across all speakers.
C8. How exposition is carried in talk. AI
Exposition is carried through Carter's observations and Sola's explanations. Chapter 4: Sola explains Martian customs. Chapter 7: Carter observes the hatching ceremony and learns reproduction. Chapter 11: Dejah Thoris explains Martian history and Earth connection. Chapter 20: the old man explains the atmosphere factory. Exposition is woven into scene action rather than delivered as monologue.
Chapters: Ch 4, Ch 7, Ch 11, Ch 20
Why, every school boy on Barsoom knows the geography, and much concerning the fauna and flora, as well as the history of your planet fully as well as of his own. (Ch 11, para 26)
The building in which I found myself contained the machinery which produces that artificial atmosphere which sustains life on Mars. (Ch 20, para 21)
C9. Longest speeches and what each one does. Both
The longest single speech runs to 193 words.
| Words | Where | Opens with |
|---|---|---|
| 193 | c21p25 | Were my name and city known to the Zodangans I would shortly be sitting ... |
| 183 | c9p18 | She has never harmed us nor would she should we have fallen into her ... |
| 183 | c13p20 | for whenever you have been off duty one of the older women of Tars ... |
| 163 | c16p46 | as he surely will when he finds she does not meet him at the ... |
| 159 | c23p15 | I know a secret entrance to the palace through the pinnacle of the highest ... |
| 154 | c10p46 | As you know I am not of Barsoom your ways are not my ways ... |
Ch 21, para 25: “You gave me a bad half minute my friend,” he continued, after I had briefly outlined my adventures since parting with him in the arena at Warhoon. “Were …
Ch 9, para 18: “I see nothing wrong with my expression of interest in this red woman,” retorted Sola. “She has never harmed us, nor would she should we have fallen into …
Ch 13, para 20: “I think they have been trying to keep us apart,” she continued, “for whenever you have been off duty one of the older women of Tars Tarkas’ retinue …
Ch 16, para 46: “And when he returns to this chamber,” he was saying, “as he surely will when he finds she does not meet him at the city’s edge, you four …
Ch 23, para 15: “I only need to pass these guards and I can do it,” he said at last. “I know a secret entrance to the palace through the pinnacle of …
Ch 10, para 46: “I hear you, Tars Tarkas,” I answered. “As you know I am not of Barsoom; your ways are not my ways, and I can only act in the …
Longest speech: Chapter 15, Sola reveals her parentage and her father's identity (roughly 200 words). Function: establishes Tars Tarkas as Sola's father and explains hidden love. Second longest: Chapter 11, Dejah Thoris explains Martian history (roughly 150 words). Function: world-building and romance development.
Chapters: Ch 15, Ch 11
My father’s name is Tars Tarkas. (Ch 15, para 42)
Why, every school boy on Barsoom knows the geography, and much concerning the fauna and flora, as well as the history of your planet fully as well as of his own. (Ch 11, para 26)
C10. Who wins each argument, and how power shifts in talk. AI
Carter wins arguments through action and strength. Chapter 10: he kills the warrior and becomes chieftain. Chapter 16: he commands Dejah Thoris to obey him. Chapter 25: he kills Sab Than and claims her. Dejah Thoris wins through emotional appeal: Chapter 22 she refuses to break her vow. Power shifts from Martian custom to Carter's will by the climax.
Chapters: Ch 10, Ch 16, Ch 25, Ch 22
passed through utter silence from the audience chamber of Lorquas Ptomel, Jed among the Tharks of Barsoom. (Ch 10, para 49)
I am your master, and you must obey and aid me. (Ch 16, para 13)
I am as good as married, John Carter. No longer may you call me your princess. No longer are you my chieftain. (Ch 22, para 42)
C11. Banter and humour patterns. AI
Humour is sparse. Chapter 10: Carter's description of Woola's smile provides light relief. Chapter 13: Carter's awkward courtship attempts create gentle humour. Chapter 20: the old man's obsession with the atmosphere factory provides dark humour. Overall tone is serious and romantic rather than comedic.
Chapters: Ch 10, Ch 13, Ch 20
If you have ever seen a collie smile you may have some idea of Woola’s facial distortion. (Ch 10, para 7)
C12. Blind test: can you tell who speaks without the tag? AI
Carter's voice is distinctive through first-person narration and references to Earth. Dejah Thoris speaks with formal courtesy and emotional directness. Tars Tarkas speaks with authority and growing warmth. Sola speaks with sympathy and hesitation. Sarkoja speaks with accusation and jealousy. Voices are distinguishable by content and tone rather than dialect.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 8, Ch 6, Ch 5, Ch 9
C13. Catchphrases and verbal tics. Count
Phrases of three or four words repeated most often inside speech.
| Phrase | Times |
|---|---|
| princess of helium | 9 |
| the princess of helium | 8 |
| the green men | 7 |
| dejah thoris i | 6 |
| of tal hajus | 6 |
| tal hajus and | 6 |
| the red men | 5 |
| john carter and | 5 |
| among the green | 5 |
| among the green men | 5 |
C14. Interruptions, silences and broken off lines. Count
3 spoken lines break off with a dash or dots: 10.83 per 1,000 paragraphs of speech.
C15. Voice in letters, diaries and documents. Both
0 paragraphs look like the start of a letter, diary entry or dated document. (rough estimate from word lists)
No letters, diaries, or documents appear in the book. The entire narrative is Carter's first-person account delivered as memoir. No alternate voices or written forms are used.
C16. Forms of address between characters and how they change. Both
Forms of address in speech by third of the book: 0, 0, 1.
| Form | Times |
|---|---|
| my love | 1 |
Carter addresses Dejah Thoris as 'princess' and 'my princess' early, then 'Dejah Thoris' and 'my love' later. She addresses him as 'John Carter' and 'my chieftain'. Tars Tarkas is addressed as 'Tarkas' and 'my friend'. Sola is addressed by name. Forms of address shift from formal to intimate as relationships deepen.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 13, Ch 25, Ch 26
I am as good as married, John Carter. No longer may you call me your princess. No longer are you my chieftain. (Ch 22, para 42)
did Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, true daughter of Mars, the God of War, promise herself in marriage to John Carter, Gentleman of Virginia (Ch 25, para 33)
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