Tone and Mood: Read and Respond

When you speak, your tone of voice can convey what you mean. For example, you could say, "What a funny joke. You must be a comedian." Depending on how you say it, you might mean that sarcastically or genuinely. It all depends on your tone. In the same way, the tone in a piece of writing is the author's attitude toward their subject. Authors won't just tell you their tone. You have to "listen" to find it by reading between the lines.

Read the following passage.

This house isn't perfect, but it's where my babies grew up. I know it all by heart. I know every stain on the carpet, every creaking floorboard and every paint chip on the windowsills. Each corner of this small space is filled with memories that I relive when I walk through the narrow hallways.

What words best describe the author's tone in the passage above?

• • hopeless and afraid

• • angry and violent

• • sentimental and tender

• • The author doesn't have a tone.

Word choice often gives you clues you can use to infer the author's tone. Words have denotations. That's their definition in the dictionary. They also have a connotation. That's their emotional meaning. For example, a person who is interested in others can be described as "curious" or "nosy." "Curious" has a positive connotation. "Nosy" has a negative connotation. In the same way, a person who likes to take charge could be described as "bossy" or "a leader."

Read the following passage.

Some people might see my cat George soaking up a sunny spot in my living room or sleeping for 20 hours each day and think, "What a lazy cat!" But "lazy" is the wrong word for George. George the Cat is calm, and he is wise. The other night, for example, there was a terrible storm with crashing thunder and bright flashes of lightning that lasted two hours. Another cat might have darted around the room, frantic and hyper, thumping into walls and diving off countertops. But George just woke up from his perch and quietly analyzed the situation, watching me closely for cues to how to react. He seemed to be asking me, "Should I be very frightened?" I just kept cooking spaghetti and singing along to the radio. So George didn't waste any time; he went right back to sleep.

Which words from the passage have a positive connotation?

• • "frantic" and "hyper"

• • "calm" and "wise"

• • "crashing" and "thumping"

• • "sleeping" and "darted"

There are a lot of different words to describe positive tones. A writer can have a celebratory attitude, or she can have a hopeful, excited or reflective tone. Admiring, lighthearted and sympathetic are positive tones, too. On the other hand, a negative tone could be frantic, selfish, bitter or skeptical. Even if the tone isn't positive or negative, there is still a tone. Every piece of writing has one. Sometimes, the tone can be neutral. You might describe a neutral tone as impartial or objective.

Which of the following passages has the most objective tone?

• 
  

• • 
    Do you know about the brave dogs in Nome, Alaska, who saved the town in 1925?

• • The people of Nome, Alaska were in big trouble in 1925. It was up to the dogs to save them.

• • The hero dogs in Nome, Alaska, did what no pilot could do: they brought medicine to the town.

• • In 1925, people were sick and planes couldn't land in Nome, Alaska. Teams of dogs delivered the medicine.

Depending on what you're writing, you'll want to have a specific tone. If you were describing your favorite book to a friend, you might have an effusive tone. That means gushing and heartfelt. If you're writing a research paper, you'll want to keep your tone more objective. Textbooks tend to have a neutral tone, sticking to just the facts without showing the author's attitude toward the subject. Tone can be related to purpose. If you want to inform your reader, and not persuade her, an objective tone might be best.

Based on the passage, which of the following most likely has an objective tone?

• • an encyclopedia entry

• • a letter to a friend

• • a movie review

• • a political speech

Tone isn't only in word choice. You might find clues about an author's tone in figurative language and in syntax. Repetition can emphasize certain words or phrases over others. Using passive voice can take attention away from the person who did the action of a sentence. Verbals can give a piece of writing an exciting tone by adding descriptions of action. Authors make lots of choices when they write, and some of those choices will show their tone.

In which of the following passages does repetition help establish a bitter tone?

• • 
    The spoiled child was not easily satisfied, he cried often, he pouted often, he shouted often.

• • There will be peace in our community, peace in our town, peace in our homes and peace on Earth.

• • The brave girl beat the dangerous dragon, got through the dangerous jungle and survived the dangerous journey.

• • My mom told me what happened and I cried until my tears filled up the car and I nearly drowned in them.

Tone is the author's or speaker's attitude toward the subject. Mood is the emotional effect on the reader. Sometimes tone and mood might be very similar. A threatening tone might create a scary mood. But sometimes they might be very different. An author's serious tone toward something silly can make a text very funny to the reader. Mood is sometimes called the "atmosphere" of a story. The way the setting is described also helps create a mood.

Read the following passage.

The school was dark and cold, and the hallways were empty. I walked by rows of blue-gray locker doors, dented and bent into strange shapes until I reached it: Room 209. It was here that I was a freshman in high school, new to the town and without a friend in the world. All those years ago, I had sat in a desk in this room, surrounded by strangers who could not pronounce my name and did not bother to ask me.

Which detail from the passage best creates a gloomy, lonely mood?

• • "All those years ago, I had sat in a desk in this room..."

• • "The school was dark and cold, and the hallways were empty."

• • "It was here that I was a freshman in high school... "

• • "I walked by rows of blue-gray locker doors..."

When you're writing or speaking, pay attention to tone and mood. Be sure your tone is aligned to your purpose, audience and subject. If you're speaking to entertain your audience, your tone could be playful. If you're writing to persuade, a serious or urgent tone might be best.

Read the following passage.

We are contacting you today because you are one of our most generous contributors. In the past, your donations have helped us find good homes for abandoned animals. Thank you for your kindness. We'd like to ask you for your help once again as we begin planning for our next adoption drive. Please consider filling out the donation form and returning it in the enclosed envelope. We could not do what we do without generosity from people like you.

Which words best describe the tone of this passage?

• • 
    biting and sarcastic

• • enthusiastic and energetic

• • formal and polite

• • casual and informal