Definition: Tone is the verbal stance the author assumes toward the reader and his subject as reflected in his “voice.” It is the quality of language and voice used to convey the speaker’s Attitude toward the subject or audience and is perceived through the various methods and diction used to convey the events of the work. In oral conversation the “tone of voice” may be determined by listening to the words themselves, their inflection, modulation, denotation, and connotation, pitch, stress, or other sound regulators. However, since words on a page are flat, other methods of discernment must be employed.
Mood is the overall atmosphere created by the speaker, the setting the events, or narrator.
Attitude is the feeling the speaker holds toward the characters, events, or situation he is relating to the audience.
With few exceptions and for most practical purposes TONE = ATTITUDE
Problem: The terms “tone” and “attitude” may become indistinct.
Problem: Students often equate the speaker with the author.
Problem: To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret meaning.
Process: Understanding tone requires making inferences during and after a close reading of a work. The students must distinguish the techniques used to establish “tone,” “mood,” and “attitude.”
Results: Understanding and analyzing the difference between “tone,” “mood,” and “attitude” and perceiving tonal shifts.
Objective: Students should be able to show in verbal and written discussions their understanding of the techniques used by the author to establish attitude and achieve a certain tone.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Analyzing how Tone Contributes to Meaning and Attitude in Literature – In order to answer these questions, a student will need to examine the speaker’s diction: circling words is a good strategy
1. How does the author feel toward his subject?
2. How does the author feel about the characters?
3. How does the author feel about the events presented?
4. How does the author feel about his audience (readers)?
5. Can or does the author have different feelings for his subject and / or his audience?
6. Does the narrator feel the same as the author?
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ All of these “feelings” determine the TONE and the ATTITUDE of the work. Strategies for determining MOOD: The mood of a piece is generally the overall atmosphere created by the diction, setting, characters, and events and is an important aspect of its style and might be described as:
One of the most frequently examined concepts on both the AP Language and the Literature exams is that
of the attitude of the speaker. It is at once obscure, abstract, and elusive for most high school students. Yet,
with a systematic approach, it can be determined. Often it requires that the student examine the smallest unit
of composition – the written word – for denotation and connotation, register, and other aspects of emotional
perspective. The attitude of a speaker can run the gamut from objective and journalistic to emotional and
biased. The attitude is reflected in both his tone of voice and the mood of the story. It is the feelings the
author holds towards his subject: the people in his narrative, the events, the setting, or even the theme. It
might be the feeling he holds for the reader. At times the attitude might be serious or humorous, detached or
involved, ironic or straightforward.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Abstract Theoretical, without reference to specifics
2. Absurd: Contrary to logic, but sometimes artistically viable
3. Affected: Assuming a false manner or attitude to impress others
4. Ambiguous: Having two or more possible meanings
5. Analytical: Inclined to examine things by studying their contents or parts.
6. Anecdotal: Involving short narratives of interesting events
7. Angry: Resentful, enraged
8. Archaic: In the style of an earlier period
9. Austere: Stern, strict, frugal, unadorned
10. Banal: Pointless and uninteresting
11. Baroque: Elaborate, grotesque, and ornamental
12. Bizarre: Unusually strange or odd
13. Bland: Undisturbing, unemotional, and uninteresting
14. Bombastic: Pretentious and pompous
15. Breezy: Quick-paced, but sometimes superficial
16. Childish: Immature (when applied to adults or to writing): Expressing contempt
17. Cinematic: Having the qualities of a motion picture
18. Classical: Formal, enduring, and standard, adhering to certain traditional methods
19. Colloquial: Characteristic or ordinary and informal conversation
20. Comic: Humorous, funny, light (there are many levels of comedy)
21. Concise: Using very few words to express a great deal
22. Confessional: Characterized by personal admissions of faults
23. Contemptuous Feeling superior, disdainful
24. Convincing: Persuasive, believable, plausible
25. Convoluted: Very complicated or involved (as in the case of sentences with many
qualifiers, phrases, and clauses)
26. Crepuscular: Having to do with twilight or shadowy areas (as in the darker and more hidden
parts of human experience)
27. Cynical: A tendency to believe that all human behavior is selfish and opportunistic
28. Decadent: Marked by decay in morals, values, and artistic standards
29. Depressing: Sad, gloomy (without any redeeming qualities of true tragedy)