Identifying Mood/Tone and Author’s Bias

1. Identifying Mood/Tone and Author’s Bias The most fun you’ll ever have…

2. Consider the Connotations • Denotation = dictionary definition, literal meaning • Connotation = another meaning it suggests, positive or negative Positive or Negative??

3. Let us review • Mood – the atmosphere a story brings to the mind of a reader – how it makes you feel • How does an author create mood? • Setting • Word choice – think about connotation • Figurative language • Imagery

4. What is the mood of this painting? How does it make you feel?

6. Model It was December – a bright frozen day in the early morning. Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along the path through the pinewoods. Her name was Phoenix Jackson. She was very old and small and she walked slowly in the dark pine shadows, moving a little from side to side in her steps, with the balanced heaviness and lightness of a pendulum in a grandfather clock. She carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella, and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her. How would you describe the atmosphere of this scene?

7. On your own • Complete the reading passage and questions in Part A: Analyze Setting and Mood

8. Let us review • Tone – the attitude a writer takes toward a subject or character • Can often be described in one word – playful, sarcastic, humorous, sentimental, angry • How does word connotation play a part in determining tone?

9. Model Over the last three decades, fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. An industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in southern California has spread to every corner of our nation, selling a broad range of foods wherever paying customers may be found. Fast food is now served at restaurants and drive-throughs, at stadiums, airports, zoos, high schools, elementary school, and universities, on cruise ships, trains, and airplanes, at K-Marts, Wal-Marts, gas stations, and even hospital cafeterias. How would you describe the tone of this passage?

10. Practice • Complete part A on your own • GAME TIME – Name that tone • The tone at the time is… • Quiz time!

11. Fact, Inference, and Opinion • Fact – a statement that has been or can be proved to be true Miss Lovell is 22 years old. • Inference (assumption) - a logical conclusion made from verifiable facts Miss Lovell’s hair is straight today, so she must have woken up early this morning. • Opinion (value statement) – a statement that is believed but cannot be proved, “should” and “ought” are often included in these statements. Miss Lovell should dye her hair purple.

12. So how do you tell which is which? • It’s hard!! • People often say things as if they were facts or inferences when they are really just opinions. ** Helpful hint – When someone will not explain what facts they used to come up with their conclusion, they are often just giving their opinion.

13. Activity • Complete parts A, B, and C of the Exercises in IN

14. Author’s Purpose: Why do authors write? • Inform • Persuade • Entertain • Describe

15. 1. To inform • explain, givedirections, illustrate, orpresentinformation

16. Inform Making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is really easy. First, gather your ingredients (bread, peanut butter, jelly) and two knives. Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread and your jelly on the other. Put the bread together and enjoy!

17. 2. To persuade • byexpressinganopiniontoconvincereaderstothink/feel/act a certainway

18. Persuade • Art class should be longer than all other specials. There never seems to be enough time to get our pictures done. If we had more time in art class everyone would do a better job on their pictures and we would learn more. Art is very important and we should have the time we need to finish a project.

19. 3. To entertain • istoillustrate a theme, eventorstorythatconveys a mood.

20. Entertain • Once upon a time there was a little boy who loved to play soccer. He would run as fast as he could to the ball, but every time he got there and tried to kick it he would miss. He started to think he wasn't very good at soccer, but he didn't give up. His hard work paid off and one day he scored the winning goal for his team.

21. Purpose? If the author is telling a story, his purpose is probably to _____________. If the author is giving opinions, his purpose is probably to _____________. If the author is telling facts, his purpose is probably to _____________. If the author is giving sensory details, his purpose is probably to __________. Entertain Persuade Inform Describe

22. Name that purpose! • Jim was unable to get to sleep.  When he went to bed he cried.  Tomorrow is his birthday party and it is going to be ruined. How can we go sledding with no snow? The next morning, when Jim got out of bed and ran to the window, he shouted with glee, "The snow has fallen and we can go sledding!"  Jim was happy because now he can have his birthday sledding party.

23. Name that purpose! • There are three lights on a traffic light.  The top light is red and that means stop.  The middle light is yellow and that means caution.  The bottom light is green and that means go.

24. Name that purpose! • If you want to become a better reader you need to read often.  Research supports that children need to read frequently to be able to read fluently and to be able read high frequency words. All students will benefit by reading at least 20 - 30 minutes per day.  Make it a point and read more often!

25. Author’s Bias • Author’s bias is a personal and largely unreasoned judgment either for or against a particular person, position, or thing; a prejudice. • BIAS IS USED TO SWAY AN AUDIENCE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

26. Types of Bias • Neutral • When an author reports the facts, no opinions at all. • Negative • When an author attempts to convince you that something is BAD • Positive • When an author attempts to convince you that something is GOOD

27. Clues that an author is using Bias • States Opinions • Word Choice • Uses Loaded Words • Words that express emotions • Creates images (lots of juicy words) • Faulty Reasoning • Coming up with crazy reasons for things • Making things up

28. Where do we see bias most often? • Commercials http://www.pdesas.org/module/content/resources/19183/view.ashx http://www.pdesas.org/module/content/resources/19183/view.ashx http://www.pdesas.org/module/content/resources/19183/view.ashx • Columns in the newspaper or on the internet • Opinion Blogs

29. Reliable vs. Unreliable Sources VS.

30. What are sources? Sources are references and evidence a writer uses in his or her research that influence and support their work. Examples of Sources: Books – Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin Articles – The LA Times, Time Magazine Journals Interviews Pictures

31. Why Cite? To provide authenticity/credibility to research To provide compelling support for one’s topic or argument Organized citing allows one’s sources to be verified by the readers Citation limits plagiarism Proper citation saves the writer lots of academic and legal problems

32. Where do we find sources? Libraries Online Scholarly Journals Internet Websites Newspapers Video Collections (ex. Documentaries) The Community (ex. Local government offices like city hall)

33. What makes a source reliable? • Known author • Part of a respected academic community • Ex. Associated with Universities • Rely on research • Printed by established publishing companies • Objective • Part of information centers

34. What Can make a source unreliable? Are extremely biased No author Independent blogs (not all of the time) Though convenient, .com and .org websites can often be unreliable but there are exceptions (ex. Time Magazine) Lack evidence and are purely opinion based Do not cite their own sources Anyone can add information to it – Wikipedia