Literary Conversation

Examine the following conversation from Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa. Even though the author is trying to be very realistic in the novel, the portrayal of conversation here does not really follow the patterns and rules of ordinary, everyday conversations. Point to as many differences from ordinary conversation as you can. Where does this literary interchange violate the rules of conversation? NOTE: It's a conversation between a landowner and a man who is looking for a job on his farm.

Speaker 1:	Do you know anything of book-keeping?
Speaker 2:	No. Nothing at all. I have always found it very difficult to add two figures together.
Speaker 1:	Do you know about cattle at all?
Speaker 2:	Cows? No, no. I am afraid of cows.
Speaker 1:	Can you drive a tractor, then?
Speaker 2:	No, but I think I could learn that.
Speaker 1:	Not on my tractor though. But then tell me, Emmanuelson, what have you even been doing? What are you in life?
Speaker 2:	What am I? Why, I am an actor.
Speaker 1:	You are an actor? That is a fine thing to be. And which were your favourite parts when you were on stage?
Speaker 2:	Oh I am a tragic actor. My favourite parts were that of Armand in "La Dame aux Camelias" and of Oswald in "Ghosts".