Scene Description Spotlight: “Pulp Fiction”

Quentin Tarantino is noted — among other things — for his ear for great dialogue. However in Pulp Fiction (1994), it’s worth noting that with key characters, he generally introduces them with scene description specific to who each character is.

Here is how the script’s first scene describes two characters Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer).

Tarantino uses scene description here in two ways to convey character: (1) Providing an impression of both Pumpkin (“Pumpkin’s robbery persona is that of the in-control professional”) and Honey Bunny (“everything she does contradicts everything she did… the psychopathic, hair-triggered, loose cannnon”); (2) Through the actions of each character: Pumpkin (“smokes cigarettes like they’re going out of style”) and Honey Bunny (“pours a ton of cream and sugar”).

So while dialogue can be a critical element in distinguishing various characters, scene description can, too, by drilling down into each character’s core essence: Through an impression of the characters and through their individual actions.

Here is the movie version of the scene:

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