Tone and Mood

Tone and Mood

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● define 'tone' and 'mood' as it applies to literature

● identify examples of tone and mood in a work of

literature

● analyze tone and mood in literature

Objectives

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🙢 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.

Tone/Mood

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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]

TONE

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🙢Amused Pessimistic

🙢Angry Pompous

🙢Cheerful Pompous

🙢Critical Sad

🙢Clear Serious

🙢Formal Sincere

🙢Gloomy Suspicious

🙢Humorous Quizzical

🙢Informal Witty

🙢Ironic

🙢Light

🙢Matter-of-fact

🙢Mocking

🙢Resigned

🙢Optimistic

Words that describe

TONE

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*Mood is the feeling the reader gets
from a story.

*Mood is shown through

🙢 Setting
🙢 Atmosphere

MOOD

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🙢Light-hearted Cold

🙢Playful Confining

🙢Tender Haunting

🙢Warm Suspenseful

🙢Hopeful Foreboding

🙢Peaceful Painful

🙢Idyllic Threatening

🙢Joyous Terrifying

🙢Inclusive Lonely

🙢Welcoming

🙢Liberating

🙢Tense

🙢Gloomy

🙢Violent

🙢Pessimistic

Words to describe

MOOD

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TONE IS NOT MOOD

Tone

The tone could be

serious but the
mood could be

ridiculous.

Mood

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TONE IS NOT MOOD

Even though tone and mood have different definitions, the tone and mood of a story can express the same feeling (for example
the tone and mood of

a story can both be
sad)

Mood

Tone

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🙢 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

MOOD

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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

You Try!

Multiple Choice

What is the tone of the passage?

• Happy

• Frustrated

• Furious

Multiple Choice

What is the tone of the passage

• nonchalant

• endearing

• inspirational

Multiple Choice

What is the mood of the passage

• cozy, warm, festive

• exciting, fun, energetic

• somber, sad, soulful

Multiple Choice

What is the mood of the passage?

• thoughtful

• hostile

• lonely

Multiple Choice

What is the mood of the passage?

• scary/suspenseful

• exciting/festive

• vengeful/spiteful

Multiple Choice

What is the tone of the passage?

• exhausted/drained

• sad/heartbroken

• comforting/warm

Multiple Choice

What is the mood of this story?

• Hostile

• Sad

• Comforting