TONE

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2.  • Tone and mood are literary elements integrated into literary works, but can also be included into any piece of writing. • Identifying the tone and mood in literature is very important to truly understanding what an author is trying to say and can be helpful in helping to discern the theme and author’s style. Students often mix up the two terms and can become confused. 2

3.  TONE Tone is the AUTHOR’S attitude towards the audience, the subject, or the character. *Tone is shown through • Dialogue - talking • Descriptions – author’s diction [word choice] 3

4.  Words that describe TONE 4

5.  MOOD *Mood is the feeling the reader gets from a story. *Mood is shown through • Setting • Atmosphere 5

6.  Words to describe MOOD 6

7.  TONE IS NOT MOOD The tone could be serious but the mood could be ridiculous. Tone Mood 7

8.  TONE IS NOT MOOD • FOR EXAMPLE: He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school. 8

9.  TONE • FOR EXAMPLE: He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school. According to the author’s descriptions, what is the tone? Serious, Intense, Formal, Focused 9

10.  MOOD • FOR EXAMPLE: He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school. According to the setting, what is the mood? Playful, informal, silly, exciting 10

11.  You Try! On the following slides identify the author’s tone or the reader’s mood and explain how you knew. Remember: Tone is determined by DESCRIPTION or DIALOGUE Mood is determined by SETTING or ATMOSPHERE 11

12.  The TONE of the passage is _________The author’s ______________ relays the tone. My annoying brother likes to drive me crazy. There is no other who is that lazy. He whines to Mom and Dad night and day Until he eventually gets his way. What is a sister to do When he screams 'til he's blue? There is no way to win, For he gets under your skin. He does his best to kill all joy. Oh, how my brother does annoy! 12

13.  The TONE of the passage is FRUSTRATEDThe author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. My annoying brother likes to drive me crazy. There is no other who is that lazy. He whines to Mom and Dad night and day Until he eventually gets his way. What is a sister to do When he screams 'til he's blue? There is no way to win, For he gets under your skin. He does his best to kill all joy. Oh, how my brother does annoy! 13

14.  The TONE of the passage is _____________The author’s _______________ relays the tone. There is no one That can be better Because you are brilliant. There is nothing That you cannot you do Because you are unbeatable. There is no place That you cannot go Because you are always welcomed. There is no person That can hold you back Because you are unstoppable 14

15.  The TONE of the passage is INSPIRINGThe author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. There is no one That can be better Because you are brilliant. There is nothing That you cannot you do Because you are unbeatable. There is no place That you cannot go Because you are always welcomed. There is no person That can hold you back Because you are unstoppable 15

16.  The MOOD of the passage is ______________The ______________ relays the MOOD. The door swings open to reveal all of my family members standing around the Christmas tree. The lights are twinkling and the fireplace is roaring with a warm fire. Everyone is singing Christmas carols as the snow falls quietly outside the window. 16

17.  The MOOD of the passage is COZY/FAMILIARThe ATMOSPHERE relays the mood. The door swings open to reveal all of my family members standing around the Christmas tree. The lights are twinkling and the fireplace is roaring with a warm fire. Everyone is singing Christmas carols as the snow falls quietly outside the window. 17

18.  The MOOD of the passage is ______________The ______________ relays the MOOD. The door swings open to reveal a Christmas tree, alone in the middle of the room, sparkling with hundreds of lights. Silence greets me as I glance around the room. The fireplace is empty and the snow storm howls outside the window. My family has gone and I am left alone with my thoughts. 18

19.  The MOOD of the passage is GLOOMY/LONELYThe ATMOSPHERE relays the MOOD. The door swings open to reveal a Christmas tree, alone in the middle of the room, sparkling with hundreds of lights. Silence greets me as I glance around the room. The fireplace is empty and the snow storm howls outside the window. My family has gone and I am left alone with my thoughts. 19

20.  The TONE of the passage is ____________The author’s _____________ relay the tone. We’re contacting you today to let you know about the Special Olympics annual fund drive. You have been kind enough to support us generously in the past, and we’d like to ask for your help again, as we send our athletes with special needs to compete at the national level. Please fill out the form below and return it in the enclosed envelope with your donation. It will make a child’s day if you do. 20

21.  The TONE of the passage is FORMAL/POLITE. The author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. We’re contacting you today to let you know about the Special Olympics annual fund drive. You’ve been kind enough to support us generously in the past, and we’d like to ask for your help again, as we send our athletes with special needs to compete at the national level. Please fill out the form below and return it in the enclosed envelope with your donation. It will make a child’s day if you do. 21

22.  The MOOD of the passage is ____________ The____________ relays the MOOD. The gym of the high school was brightly decorated. The red and white streamers covered the walls and heart shapes were scattered all over the floor. Red glitter was thrown on all the tables and love songs were playing in the background. The Valentine’s dance was about to begin. 22

23.  The MOOD of the passage is ROMANTIC TheSETTING relays the MOOD. The gym of the high school was brightly decorated. The red and white streamers covered the walls and heart shapes were scattered all over the floor. Red glitter was thrown on all the tables and love songs were playing in the background. The Valentine’s dance was about to begin. 23

24.  The TONE of the passage is ____________The author’s _____________ relay the tone. We received your request for a refund for your recent purchase of a telescope for your son. Please accept our sincere apologies that the product did not function as advertised. We will process the refund in as timely a manner as possible. In the meantime, if we can help you in any other way, please ask. 24

25.  The TONE of the passage is APOLOGETIC/PROFESSIONALThe author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. We received your request for a refund for your recent purchase of a telescope for your son. Please accept our sincere apologies that the product did not function as advertised. We will process the refund in as timely a manner as possible. In the meantime, if we can help you in any other way, please ask. 25

26.  The MOOD of the passage is ______________The ______________ relays the MOOD. The night it happened was one we will never forget. The wind was screeching outside as rain pounded against the window. We had lost electricity hours ago and had nothing but candles to light the house. The battery powered radio we had was broadcasting a warning to lock your doors and stay inside; there was a killer on the loose. 26

27.  The MOOD of the passage is SCARY/SUSPENSEFULThe ATMOSPHERE/SETTING relays the MOOD. The night it happened was one we will never forget. The wind was screeching outside as rain pounded against the window. We had lost electricity hours ago and had nothing but candles to light the house. The battery powered radio we had was broadcasting a warning to lock your doors and stay inside; there was a killer on the loose. 27

28.  The TONE of the passage is ______________The author’s _______________ relay the tone. Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother’s small, quiet apartment in Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother’s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother’s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart. 28

29.  The TONE of the passage is SAD/HEART BROKENThe author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother’s small, quiet apartment in Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother’s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother’s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart. 29

30.  The MOOD of the passage is ______________.The ______________ relays the mood. Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother’s small, quiet apartment in Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother’s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother’s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart. 30

31.  The MOOD of the passage is COMFORTING.The SETTING relays the mood. Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother’s small, quiet apartment in Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother’s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother’s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart. 31

32.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. “Would you be so kind as to help me with my groceries?” asked the elderly woman. “Not a problem ma’am,” replied the young man, “I would be happy to help.” 32

33.  The TONE of the passage is POLITE.The DIALOGUErelays the TONE. “Would you be so kind as to help me with my groceries?” asked the elderly woman. “Not a problem ma’am,” replied the young man, “I would be happy to help.” 33

34.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • Jessica walked slowly through the hallway. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” she yelled. Since the room was dark, she had to feel around for the doorknob to the dining room. As her hand closed around the cool brass knob, she gave it a firm twist to the right, opening the door to the dining hall with a satisfying bang. The long table was illuminated by a stream of moonlight from a large bay window to her right, allowing her to see enough to enter the room. She giggled with nervousness as she took a few steps forward, stopping short at the sight of something shadowy moving in the corner. 34

35.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • Often you feel you’ve done nothing when you’ve actually done a lot. That’s because what you did do seemed beneath notice—it was so small that it didn’t “count.” But it did—just as each stitch counts toward a finished dress, each brick or nail toward a house you can live in, each mistake toward knowing how to do things right. 35

36.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • We have come together this afternoon to mourn the deaths of sixteen miners—our friends and neighbors—who were trapped by fire yesterday, deep below the earth. They lived bravely and they died too soon, leaving behind grieving wives and bewildered children. We bid them a final farewell. 36

37.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • Why do these things always happen to me?, Brad wondered. First I forget an important meeting, and nobody reminds me until it’s over. Then my boss dumps a big project on my desk and wants it done by yesterday. And to top everything off, I leave my wallet on the bus. 37

38.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • Each year in the middle of February, when slush is underfoot and the sky is a depressing gray, I begin dreaming of warm beaches, tropical fruits and sunsets. If only I could save enough for a winter vacation! Maybe next year I’ll win the lottery. Meanwhile, I’ll read travel brochures and sigh. 38

39.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • What’s the matter with those idiots in the city council? First they pass new parking regulations saying we can’t park our cars in front of our own houses without a special permit. Now they’ve gone and slapped another tax on gas purchase—just to widen a road that’s already wide enough. Anyway, nobody enjoys the traffic delays resulting from road construction. The sooner we vote those incompetents out, the better off we’ll all be. 39

40.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • Yet another public figure has come forward to announce he has signed into an addiction-treatment center to deal with his alcohol problems. Reports say he has shown courage and honesty. Perhaps so, but what it really takes to enter a treatment center is money. What about the poor man, like my father, who may also have a drinking problem—and courage—but who doesn’t happen to have $500.00 a day for a fancy rest home? 40

41.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • . Botulism, a type of rare, severe food poisoning, has been reported recently in New Jersey. It is believed that the victim, who is in critical condition at a local hospital, was stricken after eating from a jar of incorrectly preserved homegrown green beans from last summer’s garden. It has been ten years since the last instance of botulism poisoning was reported in the state. 41

42.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • . Sure, litterbugs account for a lot of the trash blowing around our city’s streets, but there are other villains too. What about people who set out their trash days ahead of their scheduled trash pickup time? Worse yet are the stores that pile boxes in back alleys, and restaurants whose mounds of green—bagged trash draw rodents and roaches. 42

43.  The TONE of the passage is ___________.The _________________ relays the TONE. • We are seriously failing our nation’s teenagers when it comes to education concerning AIDS. Somehow we must convince them, without delay, that this terrible illness can happen to them, not just too isolated groups in big cities. Let’s give them the information they need to protect themselves—before it’s too late. 43