+UNDERSTANDING TONE

Brooklyn Technical High SchoolFreshman CompositionMr. Williams

Learning Objective: Recognize appropriate voice, tone, and diction

To interpret and respond to text and performances from a variety of genres, authors and subjects.

Read, view, and interpret texts and performances in every medium from a wide variety of authors, subjects, genres, and poems.

Common Core Standards:

RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

L.9-10.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

A good understanding of the English language will

enable you to communicate ideas effectively.

Choose an item to sell through a classified ad. An

accurate description will not only give potential

buyers a clear picture, it will also ward off

unnecessary phone calls due to unclear or

misleading information. Write a description of the

item in paragraph form, including all necessary

details.

Homework: Create a Classified Ad

+New Words

Spelling Words

Conceivable

Conscientious Wishing to do what is

right, esp. to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly.

Vocabulary Words

assimilation (n.) A- means “towards” The immigrants' story was told not

through their own cultures but through their assimilation  into the mainstream.

The act of absorbing into the culture of mores of a population or group

Attenuate At- means towards; tenuis is a

voiceless explosive to weaken or reduce in force,

intensity, effect, quantity, or value Yes, earplugs may attenuate  the

effects to some degree.

Read two poems:

“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Night” and

“Dirge Without Music”

What message is conveyed in each poem?

How would you describe the voice of the

speaker?

Motivational Activity:

+ Defining Tone: The Tone List

Here is a list of tones you may find in poems. It is not comprehensive; you are encouraged to add to it as needed. Choose 2 to 3 words from the list below and record the definition of the word.

abashed abrasive abusive acquiescent accepting acerbic admiring adoring affectionate aghast allusive amused angry anxious apologetic apprehensive approving arch ardent argumentative audacious awe-struck bantering begrudging bemused benevolent biting bitter blithe boastful cutting cynical defamatory denunciatory bored despairing brisk detached bristling devil-may-care brusque didactic calm disbelieving candid discouraged caressing disdainful caustic disparaging cavalier disrespectful childish distracted child-like doubtful clipped dramatic cold dreamy complimentary dry condescending ecstatic confident entranced confused enthusiastic coy eulogistic contemptuous exhilarated conversational exultant critical facetious curt fanciful fearful flippant fond forceful frightened frivolous ghoulish giddy gleeful glum grim guarded guilty happy harsh haughty heavy-hearted hollow horrified humorous hypercritical indifferent indignant indulgent ironic irreverent joking joyful languorous languid laudatory light-hearted lingering loving marveling melancholy mistrustful mocking mysterious naive neutral nostalgic objective peaceful pessimistic pitiful playful poignant pragmatic proud provocative questioning rallying reflective reminiscing reproachful resigned respectful restrained reticent reverent rueful sad sarcastic sardonic satirical satisfied seductive self-critical self-dramatizing self-justifying sympathetic self-mocking taunting self-pitying tense self-satisfied thoughtful sentimental threatening serious tired severe touchy sharp trenchant shocked uncertain silly understated sly upset smug urgent solemn vexed somber vibrant stern wary straightforward whimsical stentorian withering strident wry stunned zealous subdued swaggering sweet

+ Poems: Stories of Emotions

Poems are a series of moods that change as the poems move from start to finish.

Whether or not we understand what everything in the poems mean, we can experience, enjoy, and convey to others the poems’ emotional drama. We do this by recognizing the changing tones of voice that the speakers of the poems adopt as the poems move from beginning to the end.

Read and listen to Kay Ryan’s recitation of “Jenny Kissed Me”. Jot down notes about where in the poem – at what words or phrases- you hear the poem shift in mood, or the performer shift in her tone of voice.

Now, using the tone list, have the students brainstorm names for each tone they have heard. Encourage them to combine terms whenever they need to: for example, “bantering disbelief” is different from “stunned disbelief,” and both are different from “horrified disbelief.” You could explain that emotions don’t always come in primary colors; often colors blend, and shade into one another. The more accurate their descriptions are, the more distinctions they can learn to recognize.

+ Poems: Stories of EmotionsReview the “tone map” of “Jenny Kissed Me” printed below. In the left column we find the poem, divided into sections according to where the tone might shift. Note that tone shifts may be the same as the poem’s lines, stanzas, or sentences, but shifts in tone may also take place in shorter units, such as phrase by phrase. In the right column are names for the tone of voice one might hear in the poem, and therefore try to convey in performance.

Section Tone

Jenny kissed me when we met, Fond reminiscence

Jumping from the chair she sat in; Amused, affectionate

Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into your list,

Still amused (now by Time, rather than by Jenny), but growing a little wary, a little scornful

Put that in! Disdainful

Say I’m weary, Shrugging

Say I’m sad, Candid, a little sad

Say that health and wealth have missed me,

Lightly or playfully regretful

Say I’m growing old, Real regret

But add, Rallying, insistent

Jenny kissed me. Marveling, contented

+ Poems: Stories of EmotionsDiscuss the tones in this “tone map” with the students. Are these the tones they heard in Kay Ryan’s reading? If not, how would they describe what they heard? Do they think that parts of the poem should be read in a tone that is different from both Ryan’s recitation and the tone map? What tone seems better in what section, and why?

Section Tone

Jenny kissed me when we met, Fond reminiscence

Jumping from the chair she sat in; Amused, affectionate

Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into your list,

Still amused (now by Time, rather than by Jenny), but growing a little wary, a little scornful

Put that in! Disdainful

Say I’m weary, Shrugging

Say I’m sad, Candid, a little sad

Say that health and wealth have missed me,

Lightly or playfully regretful

Say I’m growing old, Real regret

But add, Rallying, insistent

Jenny kissed me. Marveling, contented

+Poem/Recitation: Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” Listen to three performances of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech

Discuss the contrasting tones they hear in these different readings. What different questions do the actors seem to be asking? Which performance do they prefer? Why?

Poem/Recitation: William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us.” Mark where the shifts in tone seem to occur, and next to the poem,

draft a “tone map” of the poem using the tone list.

Listen to play Angela Lansbury’s reading of the poem.

Does Lansbury’s performance of the poem match your “tone map,” either in terms of where she has shifted tones, or in terms of the tones and emotions she brings to the poem. Where does Lansbury’s differ from yours? How would you describe her shifts in tone? Which choices do you prefer, and why?

Poem/Recitation: Choose a poem you wish to recite from the Poetry Out Loud anthology, and format it as a two-column “map”.

Before you perform the poem, you should tell your classmates the series of tones you wish to convey.

After the recitation, students should respond by telling the performer whether he or she was successful at conveying those tones, and also whether they think that the tone for any section or sections was incorrect—and if so, why, and what it ought to be.

Poem/Recitation: Extra Credit Assignment

Perform your poem in front of the entire class and for evaluation.

The score you receive on your evaluation will be the amount of extra credit points you receive (up to 50 points).

If you present the best class performance, you must participate in the school-wide competition. Winning the school competition will earn you an additional 50 points.