Tone is the AUTHOR’S attitude towards the audience, the subject, or the character
You can recognize the tone/attitude by the language/word choices the author uses. His language will reveal his perspective/opinion (that is, whether it is positive/negative) about the subject .

Verbal tone is easier to detect
Teacher Student
Big Brother Little Brother
Written Tone can be more difficult. When in doubt, readers must examine the context of the story itself.
Tone must be inferred through the use of descriptive words.

Adjectives are used to describe tone
Have a healthy “tone vocabulary”
Consider some words that describe tone.
Sarcastic, sincere, embarrassed, proud or frightened
The key to choosing the correct tone is to carefully consider the author’s word choice.

TONE
In the short story “The Ransom of
Red Chief” by O. Henry, two men attempt to kidnap a wealthy man’s son for a ransom. However, the boy is a troublemaker and they can’t wait to get rid of him. The boy’s father sends this note to the men in response to their ransom demand:

Gentlemen: I received your letter today by post, in regard to the ransom you ask for the return of my son. I think you are a little high in your demands, and I hereby make you a counter proposition, which I am inclined to believe you will accept. You bring Johnny home and pay me two hundred and fifty dollars in cash, I agree to take him off your hands. You had better come at night, for the neighbors believe he is lost, and I couldn’t be responsible for what they would do to anyone they saw bringing him back.
Very respectfully,
EBENEZER DORSET

TONE
Which adjectives best describe the tone of his note?
Tone:
Evidence:

The girls were playing in the pond, splashing each other and trying to catch fish with their hands. They were having fun, but kept looking over their shoulders at the looming forest. The long grass of the field kept moving and they sort of felt like they were being watched… About a half hour passed and still the girls kept checking the field for movements. It seemed like a pair of dark eyes was on them. They even considered going back inside, but that would mean homework time. So they continued splashing, but with caution now. Their eyes hardly left the field.
Tone:
Evidence:

Finally, one of the girls pointed to the grass and giggled. "Meow!"
A cat sat on the edge of the field and licked its paw. They did indeed have company. The girls ran over to the cat and pet his belly. They laughed and the cat sauntered back to the field.
What is the tone of this paragraph?

TONE
As I approached the lake, I couldn’t believe my eyes…
Fearful
Serious
Sad
Playful
Tender
Timid
Jealousy
Mysterious
Suspenseful
Gloomy
Excitement
Nonchalant
Angry
Hateful
Pride
Bored
Humorous
Gory
Optimistic

Donovan and Larry were early for baseball practice. They decided to run up and down the bleachers to exercise before the rest of the team arrived.
Larry was first to the top. He whispered to Donovan, “Look over there.” He pointed to a man sleeping on the highest, narrow bench of the bleachers. His pants and shirt were faded, worn, and too large for his thin frame. One big toe stuck out of a huge hole in his sock. His scraped-up shoes sat a few feet away.
Donovan whispered, “We should help him out. Let’s hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.”

How would you describe the tone
[attitude] of this author?
a. Angry b. Detached c. Sympathetic
Evidence:

Tone: Where Can They Stay?
About three million people have to look for a place to sleep at night. Some homeless people have jobs but do not earn nearly enough money for both food and shelter.
Some become homeless because they have an unfortunate accident or lose their job.
They do not have any back-up resources to make it through the hard times.
The homeless face terrible problems.
Many become victims of violence. Serious health problems may begin because they are exposed to bad weather and unclean conditions. Homeless children may miss the chance to go to school. Worst of all, some cities pass laws that make it even harder on the homeless.

How would you describe the tone
[attitude] of this author?
a. Disgruntled b. Nonchalant c. Serious
Evidence:

Adjectives describe Mood
Remember that you are NOT describing the way the person feels
Like tone, mood words can be either positive or negative
Examples: relaxed, cozy, romantic, gloomy, frightening, somber

Identifying the mood of a piece of writing will depend on the number of descriptive words you know to answer the question: How did this paragraph, this passage, this story make the character or make you feel?

During the holidays, my mother's house glittered with decorations and hummed with preparations. We ate cookies and drank cider while we helped her wrap bright packages and trim the tree. We felt warm and excited, listening to Christmas carols and even singing along sometimes. We would tease each other about our terrible voices and then sing even louder.
Mood:
Evidence:

After New Year's the time came to put all the decorations away and settle in for the long, cold winter. The house seemed to sigh as we boxed up its finery. The tree was dry and brittle, and now waited forlornly by the side of the road to be picked up.
Mood:
Evidence:

While watching the stars on a warm, clear night I saw something that forever changed
Cheerful my life…
Furious
Relieved
Disappointed
Gloomy
Idyllic
Bleak
Content
Uncertain
Satisfied
Bittersweet
Enraged
Relaxed
Motivated
Indolent
Inspired
Hopeless
Confident
Tense
Eerie

Dialogue + Perspective
Setting + Characters

Tone
The tone could be serious but the mood could be ridiculous.
Mood

FOR EXAMPLE:
He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school.
According to the author ’s descriptions, what is the tone?
Serious, Intense, Formal, Focused

FOR EXAMPLE:
He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school.
According to the setting, what is the mood?
Playful, informal, silly, exciting

On the following slides identify the author’s tone or the reader’s mood and explain how you knew.
Remember:
Tone is determined by
DESCRIPTION or DIALOGUE
Mood is determined by
SETTING or ATMOSPHERE

The TONE of the passage is _________
The author’s ______________ relays the tone.
My annoying brother likes to drive me crazy.
There is no other who is that lazy.
He whines to Mom and Dad night and day
Until he eventually gets his way.
What is a sister to do
When he screams 'til he's blue?
There is no way to win,
For he gets under your skin.
He does his best to kill all joy.
Oh, how my brother does annoy!

The TONE of the passage is _____________
The author’s _______________ relays the tone.
There is no one
That can be better
Because you are brilliant.
There is nothing
That you cannot you do
Because you are unbeatable.
There is no place
That you cannot go
Because you are always welcomed.
There is no person
That can hold you back
Because you are unstoppable

The MOOD of the passage is ______________
The ______________ relays the MOOD.
The door swings open to reveal all of my family members standing around the
Christmas tree. The lights are twinkling and the fireplace is roaring with a warm fire. Everyone is singing Christmas carols as the snow falls quietly outside the window.

The MOOD of the passage is ______________
The ______________ relays the MOOD.
The door swings open to reveal a
Christmas tree, alone in the middle of the room, sparkling with hundreds of lights. Silence greets me as I glance around the room. The fireplace is empty and the snow storm howls outside the window. My family has gone and I am left alone with my thoughts.

The TONE of the passage is ____________
The author’s _____________ relay the tone.
We ’ re contacting you today to let you know about the Special Olympics annual fund drive. You have been kind enough to support us generously in the past, and we ’ d like to ask for your help again, as we send our athletes with special needs to compete at the national level. Please fill out the form below and return it in the enclosed envelope with your donation. It will make a child ’ s day if you do.

The MOOD of the passage is ____________
The ____________ relays the MOOD.
The gym of the high school was brightly decorated. The red and white streamers covered the walls and heart shapes were scattered all over the floor. Red glitter was thrown on all the tables and love songs were playing in the background. The
Valentine’s dance was about to begin.

The TONE of the passage is ____________
The author’s _____________ relay the tone.
We received your request for a refund for your recent purchase of a telescope for your son. Please accept our sincere apologies that the product did not function as advertised. We will process the refund in as timely a manner as possible. In the meantime, if we can help you in any other way, please ask.

The MOOD of the passage is ______________
The ______________ relays the MOOD.
The night it happened was one we will never forget. The wind was screeching outside as rain pounded against the window. We had lost electricity hours ago and had nothing but candles to light the house. The battery powered radio we had was broadcasting a warning to lock your doors and stay inside; there was a killer on the loose.

The TONE of the passage is ______________
The author’s _______________ relay the tone.
Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother ’ s small, quiet apartment in
Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother ’ s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother ’ s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart.

The MOOD of the passage is ______________.
The ______________ relays the mood.
Lola sat on the old, lumpy couch crying. She could let it all out here, alone in her mother ’ s small, quiet apartment in
Galesburg, Illinois. The familiar walls were covered in rose pink wallpaper. Goldie, her mother ’ s eleventh fish, seemed to stare sympathetically at Lola through the fishbowl sitting on the counter. The smell of her mother ’ s vanilla candles comforted her aching heart.

The TONE of the passage is ___________.
The _________________ relays the TONE.
“Would you be so kind as to help me with my groceries?” asked the elderly woman.
“Not a problem ma’am,” replied the young man, “I would be happy to help.”