Where the Red Fern Grows - Mood and Tone

Where the Red Fern Grows - Mood and Tone

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Mood - You as the reader

Tone - Author's viewpoint

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Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"For a split second, the ghost coon stayed on top of the post, and then he jumped. My dogs were on him the instant he hit the ground. The fight was on."

• exciting, quick and fast paced

• surprised, shocking

Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"About halfway up, far out on a limb, I found the ghost coon. As I started toward him, my dogs stopped bawling. I heard something I had heard many times. The sound was like the cry of a small baby. It was the cry of a ringtail coon when he knows it is the end of the trail. I never liked to hear this cry, but it was all in the game, the hunter and the hunted.

• discouragement

• sadness, guilt

Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"An animal was coming out of the darkness. It was walking slowly in an odd way, as if it were walking sideways...It was a big blue tick hound. Around his neck was a piece of rope about three feet long. One could see that the rope had been gnawed in two. The frayed end had become entangled in a fair-sized dead limb. Dragging the limb was what made the dog look so odd. The blue tick was like the Pritchards, mean and ugly. He was a big dog, tall and heavy. His chest was thick and solid. He came up growling. The hair on his back was standing straight up. He walked stiff-legged around Old Dan, showing his teeth."

• terror

• nerve-wrecking, frightening, uneasy

Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"Seeing a movement from Rubin, I thought he was going to get up. With his hands he pushed himself halfway up. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at me. Stopping in his effort of getting up, still staring at me, his mouth opened as if to say something. Words never came. Instead, a large red bubble slowly worked its way out of his mouth and burst. He fell back to the ground. I knew he was dead. Scared, not knowing what to do, I called for Rainie. I got no answer. I called his name again and again. I could get no reply. My voice echoed in the darkness of the silent night. A cold chill ran over my body."

• terror

• slow paced, uneasy

Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"I looked. The large black letters read: CHAMPIONSHIP COON HUNT TO BE HELD. My eyes popped open. Again I read the words. Grandpa was getting excited. Off came his glasses and out came the old red handkerchief. He blew his breath on the lens and polished them. He snorted a time or two, reared back and almost shouted. 'Do with us? Why it has everything to do with us. All my life I've wanted to go to one of these big coon hunts. Why I've even dreamed about it. And now the opportunity has come. Yes, sir, now I can go.' He paused. 'That is, if it's all right with you.' I was dumbfounded."

• surprise, elation, excitement

• easy-going

Poll

What is the mood of this passage?

"He walked over behind the candy counter and shook out one of the quarter sacks. He filled it up to the brim, bounced it on the counter a few times, and dropped in a few more gumdrops. With a twinkle in his eye, and a smile on his face, he handed it to me saying, 'Save some for your sisters.' I was so choked up I couldn't say anything. I took it and flew out the door, calling my dogs. On my way home I didn't walk on the ground. I was way up in the clouds just skipping along. With a song, I told the sycamore trees and the popeyed gray squirrels how happy I was."

• joy, elation, ecstasy

• adventurous, daring