Tone: A Man's Worth A Thousand Words

Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation…) and the readers. A piece of writing can, and often does, have more than one tone. Tone is set, and identified, by the setting, choice of vocabulary, dialogue, and other details.
Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s words. It is the feeling the reader gets from reading those words. It may be the same, or it may change from situation to situation.

Words that Describe TONE

amused humorous Pessimistic angry informal playful cheerful ironic pompous horror light sad clear matter-of-fact serious formal resigned suspicious
gloomy
optimistic witty
Words that Describe MOOD

fanciful melancholy frightening mysterious frustrating romantic gloomy sentimental happy sorrowful joyful suspenseful

Let’s practice:

Bouncing into the room, she lit up the vicinity with a jous glow on her face as she told about her fiance and their wedding plans.
Tone:
Context CLues:
Mood:
2. She huddled in the corner, clutching her tattered blanket and shaking convulsively, as she feverishly searched the room for the unknown dangers that awaited her.
Tone:
Context Clues:
Mood:
3. Bursting through the door, the flustered mother screamed uncontrollable at the innocent teacher who gave her child an F.
Tone:
Context Clues:
Mood:
Chose a sentence, or two, from EACH of the first 8 chapters and define the tone, mood, and context clues.

Chapter
Sentence(s)
Tone
Mood
Context
Clues

Name:_________________________________________________ Date:__________________________
Highlight the words that you used to determine the tone or mood of the passage.
Then identify the tone or mood.
“Then all of the citizens had been ordered to go into the nearest building and stay there. IMMEDIATELY, the rasping voice on the speakers said. LEAVE YOUR BICYCLES WHERE THEY ARE.” p. 2
Tone:________________________________________

“Lily frowned. “I felt strange. Because their methods were different. They were learning usages that my group hadn’t learned yet, so we felt stupid.”” p. 8
Tone:_________________________________________
“There was talk about changing the rule and giving the bicycles at an earlier age. A committee was studying the idea. When something went to a committee for study, the people always joked about it. They said that the committee members would become Elders by the time the rule change was made.” p. 17
Tone:_________________________________________

“But suddenly Jonas had notices, following the path of the apple through the air with his eyes, that the piece of fruit had –well, this was the part that he couldn’t adequately understand – the apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed in mid-air, he remembered.” p. 30
Tone:__________________________________________

“The evening proceeded as all evenings did in the family unit, in the dwelling, in the community: quiet, reflective, a time for renewal and preparation for the day to come. It was different only in the addition to it of the newchild with his pale, solemn, knowing eyes.” p. 32
Mood:__________________________________________

“Jonas nodded, thanked her, and walked down the long hallway. He glanced into the rooms on either side. The Old were sitting quietly, some visiting and talking with one another, others doing handwork and simple crafts. A few were asleep. Each room was comfortably furnished, the floors covered with thick carpeting.” p. 36
Mood:__________________________________________

“He helped the woman from the chair, led her to the tub, removed her robe, and steadied her with his hand on her arm as she stepped in and lowered herself. She leaned back and sighed with pleasure, her head on a soft cushioned headrest.” p. 38
Mood:___________________________________________

“Lily grinned and wriggled away from her mother. “And this year you get your Assignment,” she said to Jonas in an excited voice. “I hope you get Pilot. And that you take me flying!”” p. 52
Tone:____________________________________________
“Finally the Nines were all resettled in their seats, each having wheeled a bicycle outside where it would be waiting for its owner at the end of the day. Everyone always chuckled and made small jokes when the Nines rode home for the first time. “Want me to show you how to ride?” older friends would call. “I know you’ve never been on a bike before!” p. 69
Tone:_____________________________________________

“As if in answer to his unspoken wish, the signal came and the crowd began to move toward the doors.” p. 62
Mood:___________________________________________