Dialogue and Dialect. Dialogue is conversation involving two or more people or characters. Many works are made up of narration, description, and dialogue. Heat Moon uses each type of writing within this selection, but dialogue is a key element. The moments in which the author interacts with people offer a glimpse into the lives of those he encounters. Dialect is the version of language spoken by people of a particular time, place, or group. As you read, pay close attention to the dialogue. Make a cluster chart for a character (or make them for more than one character), labeling the center circle with the character’s name. In an outer ring of circles, add examples of things the person says in the selection. In the outermost ring, make notes indicating what each piece of dialogue reveals about that character. Use the chart to the right as a starting point or as an example.

• William Least Heat Moon’s book Blue Highways: A Journey into America is a narrative work that recounts the author’s travels along the highways of rural America. Heat Moon calls these roads “blue highways” because they are marked in blue on a road map, unlike the larger interstate highways or freeways. His story is told in the style of a travelogue—a book about a journey. Other famous travelogue writers include Jack Kerouac and John Steinbeck, who took their own trans-American journeys in the 1950s and in 1960, respectively.
• Born William Trogdon, the author changed his name because he felt more connected to his Osage roots than to his English or Irish heritage. He believes that his Native American heritage compels him to travel and gives him a great love for the land.

If you could plan a road trip, where would you choose to go and in what kind of vehicle? What would you do upon reaching your destination?