Tone
Tone is how the author is telling you about the content. It is the attitude of the writer that they are conveying to the reader. It is NOT how the reader is made to feel; that is mood.
Read the following definition from: http://literarydevices.net/tone/
Read the following definition from: http://literarydevices.net/tone/
To describe the tone an author uses there are a wide array of words to choose from. To get you started, click on the button below for a list of tone words.
Example in the book
George’s voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as
though he had said them many times before. “Guys like us, that work on
ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no fambly. They don’t
belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into
town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their
tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.”
Lennie was delighted. “That’s it—that’s it. Now tell how it is with us.”
George went on. “With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got
somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit-in no bar
room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other
guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.”
Lennie broke in. “But not us! An’ why? Because . . . . because I got you to
look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” He laughed
delightedly. “Go on now, George!”
“You got it by heart. You can do it yourself.”
“No, you. I forget some a’ the things. Tell about how it’s gonna be.”
“O.K. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a
little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—”
“An’ live off the fatta the lan’,” Lennie shouted. “An’ have rabbits. Go on,
George! Tell about what we’re gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits
in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the
cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it. Tell about that, George.” p. 8
though he had said them many times before. “Guys like us, that work on
ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no fambly. They don’t
belong no place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake and then they go into
town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they’re poundin’ their
tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.”
Lennie was delighted. “That’s it—that’s it. Now tell how it is with us.”
George went on. “With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got
somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit-in no bar
room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other
guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.”
Lennie broke in. “But not us! An’ why? Because . . . . because I got you to
look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” He laughed
delightedly. “Go on now, George!”
“You got it by heart. You can do it yourself.”
“No, you. I forget some a’ the things. Tell about how it’s gonna be.”
“O.K. Someday—we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a
little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and—”
“An’ live off the fatta the lan’,” Lennie shouted. “An’ have rabbits. Go on,
George! Tell about what we’re gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits
in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the
cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it. Tell about that, George.” p. 8
Here is a passage from our novel. There are words in here that can indicate tone to us as readers. This passage has a happy and joyful tone. There are many words that the author uses the words "delighted' and "delightedly" to convey the tone. Also, this is written in a fast pace with short sentences. There are also exclamation points used to show excitement.
The Portfolio: What do you turn in?
You are continuing to analyze poetry in this lesson and this time you are also looking at tone. On slide 5 in the lesson you will choose from a list of poems and fill out the DIDS worksheet provided for the poem.
OR
Instead, you can also pull a passage of at least a paragraph from Of Mice and Men and analyze it for tone. Tell me what the tone is and how you can tell. What led you to that conclusion. USE QUOTES!
OR
Instead, you can also pull a passage of at least a paragraph from Of Mice and Men and analyze it for tone. Tell me what the tone is and how you can tell. What led you to that conclusion. USE QUOTES!