3.3.4 Style and Tone

​Story Analysis

By Jill McGurgan

A Summary

In The War Outside, Haruko Tanaka and the rest of her family are struggling with their forced relocation as part of Japanese internment in America during World War II. The American public's general suspicion of people of Japanese ancestry after the Pearl Harbor attacks in 1941 resulted in widespread mistrust and, eventually, the forced evacuation of thousands of people to relocation centers that were actually prison camps.

Once Haruko arrives at the camp, her fears are confirmed. Crystal City is not a glorious, beautiful place as its name suggests—and as her father promised. Ironically, it is the exact opposite. It is a dusty prison camp with armed guards and barbed-wire boundaries.

This difference between her hopes and reality leaves Haruko disappointed and scared for her future.

Author's Style & Tone

Is the feeling associated with a word.

Think: guest vs prisoner

​Conotation

Is the dictionary definition of a word.

Denotation

Categorize

Options (8)

humorous

gentle

enthusiastic

appreciative

apprehensive

outraged

annoying

stubborn

Sort these words based on thier connotation.

Positive

Negative

Analyzing Tone

The author uses figurative language (simile) to enhance the style.

Style changes to reflect her father's writing
style: short sentences, extra punctuation.

Illustrates the author's tone and opinion
of her father.

Let's Practice

Look at this paragraph on page 41 of your English Notebook.

Highlight text that gives us infomration about the author's attitude and tone.

Open Ended

Read this excerpt (top of page 42): What do you learn about the author's attitude and tone? Which words reinforce your thinking?

Sentence starters:

The author's tone in this excerpt is . . .

She uses words like ------ and ------ to show . . .

Thoughts . . .

Did Haruko's father do the "right thing" asking his family to join him at Crystal City?