It fascinates me that call-response behavior, so well known in ethology studies, is unseen in a web search because it’s been co-opted by education as a way to get students to pay attention to teachers.
And of course they got it incorrect.
Call Response is when someone says something and the other person responds. This is best known in mating behaviors (doesn’t matter if it’s in The Wild or not) and works both audially and tactilely.
Call Response can demonstrate the full range of emotions and is a great tool for character revelation. Consider the following which uses only dialogue to show one person’s growing frustration with an oblivious other:
“What would you like to do?”
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you decide will be fine.”
“No, no. You’re opinion’s valued here. What would you like?”
“Whatever, really. It doesn’t matter.”
“Come on now. No opinions? No desires? Surely there must be something.”
“I told you, anything. All I really want to do is relax.”
“Ah, relax is it? Good good good. What shall we do to relax?”
“We could shove a rag in your mouth, that might do it.”
“Ha, funny. Good one, that. Come on now, what is to do to relax?”
“Forget it. Nothing. I’ll just get a book and read on the porch. How’s that? Is that okay?”
“I thought you wanted to relax.”
“That is relaxing, you idiot.”
“No call for bad manners, now, is there? You’re the one who can’t make up your mind.”
“How about if I get a book and beat you over the fucking head with it. Would that be alright?”
“See how good you are. Now there are three options. Which shall it be? Auck!”
Another example of Call Response used to tell a story is in my Man and Boy: Tennessee, 1932
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