Tone and Style
DIDLS
In analyzing style, certain components of the piece of literature should be
considered. DIDLS is an acronym which may prove useful to students to
remind themselves of critical elements which contribute to the analysis
of style.
D iction
Word Choice
denotation
connotation
repetition specificity or abstraction
register
length
sound quality
I magery
Vivid appeals to understanding through the senses
D etails
Facts which are included - or omitted specific information description
action
L anguage
Overall use of language, including register
S entence Structure
sentence length
punctuation
sentence pattern
periodic or loose
order: natural, inverted, or split
parallel structure
Type: simple, compound, complex, compoundcomplex
declarative, imperative, interrogative,
exclamatory
Tone
1. What atmosphere (effect upon the reader) is created by the
selection?
2. What tone (author’s attitude toward the subject) does the selection
have?
In order to determine atmosphere and tone, consider the following:
1. What is the diction of the work (the relationship of word
choice to author purpose and the effectiveness of the piece)?
2. What imagery does the author use, and to what senses do
these appeal?
3. What figures of speech (e.g., simile, metaphor,
personification, allusion) are used?
4. What sound devices (e.g., alliteration, assonance,
consonance, repetition) does the author use, and what effect
do these have on meaning?
5. What type of language (formal, colloquial, idiomatic,
informal, slang, etc.) does 0the selection employ? To what
effect?
6. What type of syntax is used?
a. Are short or long sentences used?
b. Is there a variety of sentence
structure (simple, compound,
complex, compound-complex)? If so,
what effect does this have on
meaning?
c. Does the author use specialized
sentence variety, such as inverted
word order, parallel structure,
balance, etc.?
7. What significant words or phrases seem to stand out, and
how do these
abstract
admiring
afraid
aggressively
judgmental
allegorical
allusive
ambiguous
analytical
anecdotal
angry
apologetic
audacious
benevolent
bitter
bitter
boring
candid
capricious
chastising
clinical
cold
colloquial
complimentary
condescending
confident
confused
contemptuous
conversational
critical
cynical
cynical
decisive
detached
detailed
didactic
direct
doctrinaire
dramatic
dreamy
erudite
exhortative
expository
fanciful
farcical
fervent
formal
complex
frivolous
giddy
happy
harsh
horrific
humorous
hyperbolic
impartial
indignant
indulgent
informal
informative
ironic
irreverent
joking
joyful
laudatory
libelous
lighthearted
mocking
mocking serious
moralistic
nostalgic
objective
objective
observant
paradoxical
peaceful
pedantic
pitiful
poignant
pretentious
proud
provocative
reflective
restrained
reverent
reverently
sad
sarcastic
sardonic
scathing
scathingly
scholarly
seductive
self-aware
self-congratulatory
sentimental
servile
sharp
shocking
silly
somber
sweet
sweetly effusive
sympathetic
tired
uncomplicated
upset
urgent
urgent
vexed
vibrant
vituperative
wistfully
zealous