Dorfman’s use of language and dialogue in Death and the Maiden is structured just so to convey the emotions and thoughts of the three characters in a meaningful and successful way. The manner in which the interactions that occur in the play are executed allows the reader to get to know the characters through their habits of speech and conversation. To begin with, the character Paulina Salas is very well developed by her use of language. Paulina’s somewhat flawed nature of manipulative and accusatory ways of speaking, which attribute to her redemption, make her the anti hero of the play. In Paulina’s case, the great amount of questions that she asks the other two characters allows her to put herself into a position of power over Roberto, and…show more content… Roberto Miranda, is also characterized by the language and dialogue that Dorfman has him use. Roberto speaks to be portrayed as innocent, and throughout the play acts as though it is preposterous for Paulina to believe him to be one of her perpetrators. Like Gerardo, Roberto also acts as if Paulina is insane and irrational. He says, “I do not know you madam. I have never seen you before in my life. But I can tell you this: you are extremely ill, almost prototypically schizoid” (p. 32) Roberto telling Paulina things such as this only digs himself into a deeper hole and makes Paulina feel even angrier and more emotionally charged for the wrong that was done to her those 15 years ago. Like Gerardo and Paulina, Roberto is also extremely manipulative, which is shown by his language and dialogue. He works to have Gerardo deceive his wife Paulina so that Roberto can know what to say for his “false” confession to Paulina (p. 48). Another thing that is telling of Roberto’s character is that he changed some of the details of the story that Paulina told Gerardo from the false details to the correct ones. This shows his carelessness in trying to actually be exonerated from the