Tone and Mood

Objectives
Student will be able to:
  • demonstrate understanding of tone and mood in writing.
  • evaluate how language affects tone and mood.

Introduction
Have you ever noticed that you begin to feel a bit nervous when you are reading a mystery? Or a little tense when you are reading a suspense story? Such feelings do not appear by accident. The author of a novel or story has intentionally created a mood  that he or she not only wants you to recognize, but also to feel. Mood refers to the overall emotional impact or atmosphere created by the story. 
 
An author creates mood in his or her writing by using specific language. The language may be used to describe the setting; advance the plot; or state the feelings, actions, or thoughts of the characters. The mood might be one of tension, pleasure, fright, anger, frustration, or confusion. For example, a mood of horror can be created by using words such as unworldly, eerie, hideous, or bizarre. A mood of excitement can result from using words such as thrilled or elated.
 
At the same time, an author will suggest a specific tone  of the piece. Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, and can be either stated outright or implied.
 
Tone is expressed through language and details. If someone tells you that he or she does not like your tone, it is usually the words you are choosing that they really don't like. Tone can be expressed in different ways—formal words and sentence structure, common slang and short sentences, loaded words that carry emotional meaning, and specific details that are emphasized.

Examples

People often have different attitudes toward the same season. Read the following passage in which the author creates one mood in the first paragraph and another in the second. Be aware of the word choices and sentence lengths used to establish these different moods. Then answer the questions following the passage.


1.
What is the mood in the first paragraph of the passage?
a.   hope
b.   suspense
c.   sorrow
d.   surprise
 

Did you select c. sorrow? You are correct. The author describes autumn as "a sad time of year."


2.
After reading the entire passage, you can tell that the author's tone is __________.
 
 

Did you say something like optimistic or reverent? Good! The author cares very much about the autumn season and it shows in the details given, such as "love the crisp, cool air," love the honking of wild geese," and "love the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs."



Try Together
The following questions are about the passage you just read.
 
1.
What is the mood of the second paragraph?
a.   sorrow
b.   joy
c.   surprise
d.   curiosity
 
b.   joy
 

2.
What sense does the writer use most often to emphasize the mood he creates?
a.   seeing
b.   hearing
c.   smelling
d.   touching
 
b.   hearing
 

3.
Highlight three phrases the author uses in the second paragraph to illustrate the sense he has chosen to help establish the mood.

Student responses may vary. Acceptable answers include:

  • the honking of wild geese
  • the crunching of leaves
  • snapping of twigs
  • the swoosh of a rake
  • the squeal of delight
 

Read "The Bakery." Note how the author's word choices and sensory details as well as sentence length establish the mood and tone. Then, answer the questions that follow.


4.
Which word best describes the tone of the passage?
a. appreciative
b. regretful
c. uninterested
d. sorrowful
 
a.   appreciative
 

5.
What mood does the writer establish in this passage?
a.   excitement
b.   humor
c.   fear
d.   pleasure
 
d.   pleasure
 

6.
The word warmest in the first sentence of the passage is used to mean
a.   having or giving off heat (as a stove).
b.   serving to retain heat (as clothes).
c.   giving a pleasant impression of cheerfulness or friendliness.
d.   close to reaching a goal, as in a search.
 
c.   giving a pleasant impression of cheerfulness or friendliness.
 

7.
What sense does the writer use most often to emphasize the mood he creates?
a.   seeing
b.   hearing
c.   smelling
d.   touching
 
c.   smelling
 

Please evaluate the student's answers:

Excellent

Good

Okay
 

Exhibit Preview Close
Autumn
 
     Many people see autumn as a sad time of year. They see brown grass, falling leaves, bare trees, and dying flowers as the end of summer, the end of pleasure, the end of a carefree time.
     I am not one of those people; autumn is my favorite season. To me, it is not an ending but the beginning of a starkly beautiful season. I love the crisp, cool air that carries sound more clearly than during any other season. I love the honking of wild geese as they fly in a v-shape high in the sky toward some southern destination that calls to them. I love the crunching of leaves and snapping of twigs as I walk through the woods, which has donned its bright colors just for me. I love the swoosh of a rake through a tall pile of dry leaves that comes just before the squeal of delight as a youngster jumps into the pile.

Exhibit Preview Close
The Bakery
 
     The bakery in my hometown offered the greatest smells and warmest feelings of any place I remember visiting during my childhood. Before we entered the door, my mother and I would have a race to see who would be first to say, "Doesn't that bread smell wonderful?" 
     As we entered the door, we needed no more than five seconds to recognize the smell of whatever goody Mr. Leidig had in his oven. My favorite of his many baked delights was cinnamon buns. My mother liked the yeasty smell of dinner rolls when they had just begun to bake. Some days, however, another sweet aroma would surround us. 
     "Apple streusel," my mother would whisper before the baker could remove the pastries from the oven. 
     "Good morning, ladies," Mr. Leidig would say, pleased that he was a part of our Saturday morning ritual. "I have some delicious apple streusel today. Would you like a taste?"