Tone, and Tone, and MoodMood

……to support the author’s purposeto support the author’s purpose

TONETONE

TONE is simply the author’s attitude toward the TONE is simply the author’s attitude toward the subject. subject.

You can recognize the tone/attitude by the You can recognize the tone/attitude by the language/word choices the author uses. His language/word choices the author uses. His language will reveal his perspective/opinion language will reveal his perspective/opinion (that is, whether it is positive/negative) about (that is, whether it is positive/negative) about the subject.the subject.

Tone Tone must be inferredmust be inferred through the use of through the use of descriptive words.descriptive words.

Tone Example Tone Example    The girls were playing in the pond, The girls were playing in the pond, splashing each other and trying to catch fish splashing each other and trying to catch fish with their hands. They were having fun, but with their hands. They were having fun, but kept looking over their shoulders at the kept looking over their shoulders at the looming forest. The long grass of the field looming forest. The long grass of the field kept moving and they sort of felt like they kept moving and they sort of felt like they were being watched… About a half hour passed were being watched… About a half hour passed and still the girls kept checking the field for and still the girls kept checking the field for movements. It seemed like a pair of dark eyes movements. It seemed like a pair of dark eyes was on them. They even considered going back was on them. They even considered going back inside, but that would mean homework time. So inside, but that would mean homework time. So they continued splashing, but with caution now. they continued splashing, but with caution now. Their eyes hardly left the field.Their eyes hardly left the field.

The The tonetone of this passage is of this passage is ominousominous, , suggesting a little bit of suggesting a little bit of fearfear.. Words like Words like "caution, dark, and looming“ lead readers to "caution, dark, and looming“ lead readers to the tone.the tone.

TONE EXAMPLETONE EXAMPLE

Finally, one of the girls pointed to the grass Finally, one of the girls pointed to the grass and giggled. "Meow!" A cat sat on the edge of and giggled. "Meow!" A cat sat on the edge of the field and licked its paw. They did indeed the field and licked its paw. They did indeed have company. The girls ran over to the cat and have company. The girls ran over to the cat and pet his belly. They laughed and the cat pet his belly. They laughed and the cat sauntered back to the field. sauntered back to the field.

The The tonetone of this passage is happy/contentment of this passage is happy/contentment as there was a successful, happy resolution to as there was a successful, happy resolution to the problem.the problem.

TONETONE

Identifying the TONE is all Identifying the TONE is all about knowing the definitions about knowing the definitions of many descriptive vocabulary of many descriptive vocabulary words. Without this large words. Without this large vocabulary, it’s difficult to vocabulary, it’s difficult to describe outside of “good” and describe outside of “good” and “bad.”“bad.”

TONETONESo, let’s So, let’s TONETONE our brain our brain muscles with descriptive muscles with descriptive vocabulary exercises!!vocabulary exercises!!

BitterBitter SeriousSerious WittyWitty PlayfulPlayful TenderTender SympatheticSympathetic HauntingHaunting MysteriousMysterious SuspensefulSuspenseful

Tasteful/Tasteful/distastefuldistasteful

NonchalantNonchalant Angry Angry Attached/Attached/DetachedDetached

InnocentInnocent PoignantPoignant CompassionateCompassionate HumorousHumorous Gore-yGore-y

Tone: “A Gift in His Tone: “A Gift in His Shoes”Shoes”Donovan and Larry were early for Donovan and Larry were early for

baseball practice. They decided to run up baseball practice. They decided to run up and down the bleachers to exercise before and down the bleachers to exercise before the rest of the team arrived.the rest of the team arrived.

Larry was first to the top. He Larry was first to the top. He whispered to Donovan, “Look over there.” whispered to Donovan, “Look over there.” He pointed to a man sleeping on the He pointed to a man sleeping on the highest, narrow bench of the bleachers. highest, narrow bench of the bleachers. His pants and shirt were faded, worn, and His pants and shirt were faded, worn, and too large for his thin frame. One big toe too large for his thin frame. One big toe stuck out of a huge hole in his sock. His stuck out of a huge hole in his sock. His scraped-up shoes sat a few feet away.scraped-up shoes sat a few feet away.

Donovan whispered, “We should help him Donovan whispered, “We should help him out. Let’s hide something good in his out. Let’s hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.”have a nice surprise.”

Tone: “A Gift in His Tone: “A Gift in His Shoes”Shoes”

How would you describe the tone How would you describe the tone [attitude] of this author?[attitude] of this author?

a.a. AngryAngry

b.b. DetachedDetached

c.c. SympatheticSympathetic

Evidence?Evidence?

Tone: “Where Can They Tone: “Where Can They Stay?”Stay?”About three million people have to About three million people have to

look for a place to sleep at night. Some look for a place to sleep at night. Some homeless people have jobs but do not earn homeless people have jobs but do not earn nearly enough money for both food and nearly enough money for both food and shelter. Some become homeless because shelter. Some become homeless because they have an unfortunate accident or lose they have an unfortunate accident or lose their job. They do not have any back-up their job. They do not have any back-up resources to make it through the hard resources to make it through the hard times. times.

The homeless face terrible problems. The homeless face terrible problems. Many become victims of violence. Serious Many become victims of violence. Serious health problems may begin because they health problems may begin because they are exposed to bad weather and unclean are exposed to bad weather and unclean conditions. Homeless children may miss conditions. Homeless children may miss the chance to go to school. Worst of the chance to go to school. Worst of all, some cities pass laws that make it all, some cities pass laws that make it even harder on the homeless.even harder on the homeless.

Tone: “Where Can They Tone: “Where Can They Stay”Stay”

How would you describe the tone How would you describe the tone [attitude] of this author?[attitude] of this author?

a.a. DisgruntledDisgruntled

b.b. NonchalantNonchalant

c.c. SeriousSerious

Evidence?Evidence?

MOODMOOD

MOOD is the overall feelings or MOOD is the overall feelings or emotions that are created IN THE emotions that are created IN THE READER. READER.

The “power of the pen” can move The “power of the pen” can move mountains. mountains.

Authors “move” their readers’ Authors “move” their readers’ moods through their choice of moods through their choice of words and level of detail.words and level of detail.

MOOD EXAMPLEMOOD EXAMPLE  

During the holidays, my mother's During the holidays, my mother's house glittered with decorations and hummed house glittered with decorations and hummed with preparations. We ate cookies and drank with preparations. We ate cookies and drank cider while we helped her wrap bright cider while we helped her wrap bright packages and trim the tree. We felt warm packages and trim the tree. We felt warm and excited, listening to Christmas carols and excited, listening to Christmas carols and even singing along sometimes. We would and even singing along sometimes. We would tease each other about our terrible voices tease each other about our terrible voices and then sing even louder. and then sing even louder.

Mood:Mood: Content, happy. How do we know? Content, happy. How do we know? Words like "warm, excited, glittered” are Words like "warm, excited, glittered” are used by the author.used by the author.

MOOD EXAMPLEMOOD EXAMPLE

After New Year's the time came to After New Year's the time came to put all the decorations away and settle put all the decorations away and settle in for the long, cold winter. The house in for the long, cold winter. The house seemed to sigh as we boxed up its seemed to sigh as we boxed up its finery. The tree was dry and brittle, finery. The tree was dry and brittle, and now waited forlornly by the side of and now waited forlornly by the side of the road to be picked up. the road to be picked up.

Mood:Mood: Dreary, depressed. How do we Dreary, depressed. How do we know? "cold, sigh, brittle, forlornly"know? "cold, sigh, brittle, forlornly"

MOODMOOD

Again, identifying the mood Again, identifying the mood of a piece of writing will of a piece of writing will depend on the number of depend on the number of descriptive words you know to descriptive words you know to answer the question: How did answer the question: How did this paragraph, this passage, this paragraph, this passage, this story make the character this story make the character or make you feel?or make you feel?

MOODMOODBrain Muscle Work-out, Brain Muscle Work-out,

Volume II!Volume II! CheerfulCheerful RelievedRelieved GloomyGloomy BleakBleak UncertainUncertain BittersweetBittersweet Relaxed Relaxed LazyLazy HopelessHopeless TenseTense

FuriousFurious DisappointedDisappointed Dreamy, foggyDreamy, foggy ContentContent SatisfiedSatisfied AngryAngry MotivatedMotivated InspiredInspired ConfidentConfident EerieEerie

Mood: “A Gift in His Mood: “A Gift in His Shoes”Shoes”Donovan and Larry were early for Donovan and Larry were early for

baseball practice. They decided to run baseball practice. They decided to run up and down the bleachers to exercise up and down the bleachers to exercise before the rest of the team arrived.before the rest of the team arrived.

Larry was first to the top. He Larry was first to the top. He whispered to Donovan, “Look over there.” whispered to Donovan, “Look over there.” He pointed to a man sleeping on the He pointed to a man sleeping on the highest, narrow bench of the bleachers. highest, narrow bench of the bleachers. His pants and shirt were faded, worn, and His pants and shirt were faded, worn, and too large for his thin frame. One big too large for his thin frame. One big toe stuck out of a huge hole in his sock. toe stuck out of a huge hole in his sock. His scraped-up shoes sat a few feet His scraped-up shoes sat a few feet away.away.

Donovan whispered, “We should help Donovan whispered, “We should help him out. Let’s hide something good in him out. Let’s hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.”will have a nice surprise.”

Mood: “A Gift in His Mood: “A Gift in His Shoes”Shoes”

How would you describe the mood How would you describe the mood of this passage?of this passage?

a.a. AngryAngry

b.b. DetachedDetached

c.c. SympatheticSympathetic

Evidence?Evidence?

Mood: “Where Can They Mood: “Where Can They Stay?”Stay?”About three million people have to About three million people have to

look for a place to sleep at night. Some look for a place to sleep at night. Some homeless people have jobs but do not earn homeless people have jobs but do not earn nearly enough money for both food and nearly enough money for both food and shelter. Some become homeless because shelter. Some become homeless because they have an unfortunate accident or lose they have an unfortunate accident or lose their job. They do not have any back-up their job. They do not have any back-up resources to make it through the hard resources to make it through the hard times. times.

The homeless face terrible problems. The homeless face terrible problems. Many become victims of violence. Serious Many become victims of violence. Serious health problems may begin because they health problems may begin because they are exposed to bad weather and unclean are exposed to bad weather and unclean conditions. Homeless children may miss conditions. Homeless children may miss the chance to go to school. Worst of the chance to go to school. Worst of all, some cities pass laws that make it all, some cities pass laws that make it even harder on the homeless.even harder on the homeless.

Mood: “Where Can They Mood: “Where Can They Stay?”Stay?”

How would you describe the mood How would you describe the mood of this passage? CAN you describe of this passage? CAN you describe the mood of this passage?the mood of this passage?

In non-fiction, expository In non-fiction, expository (report-like) pieces of writing, (report-like) pieces of writing, there is usually not enough there is usually not enough ‘hints’ to produce a mood for the ‘hints’ to produce a mood for the reader. It’s just factual reader. It’s just factual information. information. (Of course, this doesn’t mean it (Of course, this doesn’t mean it inhibits you to think about it! Again, “the power of inhibits you to think about it! Again, “the power of pen has moved mountains.”)pen has moved mountains.”)