They contribute their feelings, goals, or personality to the conflict and can alter another characters' actions. The experiences a character goes through determines the topics of our story. These topics determine our theme.
All three characters support the theme of people going overboard to reach high social standing. Mrs. Pringle supports this in her reasons for having the party in the first place and the fuss she makes over the details. The words and actions of Elaine and Dunham support the theme in that they provide the ideas that feed Mrs. Pringle’s frustration. They keep her updated on the changing number of guests and the situation regarding the amount of food.
