+UNDERSTANDING
TONE
Brooklyn Technical High School
Freshman Composition
Mr. Williams
Learning Objective:
Recognize appropriate voice, tone, and diction
To interpret and respond to text and performances from a variety of genres, authors and subjects.
Read, view, and interpret texts and performances in every medium from a wide variety of authors,
subjects, genres, and poems.
Common Core Standards:
RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or
informal tone).
L.9-10.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
Homework: Create
a Classified Ad
A good understanding of the English language will enable you to
communicate ideas effectively. Choose an item to sell through a classified
ad. An accurate description will not only give potential buyers a clear
picture,it will also ward off unnecessary phone calls due to unclear or
misleading information. Write a description of the item in paragraph
form,including all necessary details.
+
New Words
Spelling Words
 Vocabulary Words

assimilation (n.)
 A- means “towards”
 The immigrants' story was told not
through their own cultures but
through their assimilation into the
mainstream.
 The act of absorbing into the culture
of mores of a population or group

Attenuate
 At- means towards; tenuis is a
voiceless explosive
 to weaken or reduce in force,
intensity, effect, quantity, or value
 Yes, earplugs may attenuate the
effects to some degree.
Conceivable
Conscientious

Wishing to do what is right,
esp. to do one's work or
duty well and thoroughly.
Motivational
Activity:
Read two poems:
“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Night” and
“Dirge Without Music”
What message is conveyed in each poem?
How would you describe the voice of the speaker?
+ Defining Tone:
The Tone List
Here is a list of tones you may find in poems. It is not comprehensive; you are encouraged
to add to it as needed. Choose 2 to 3 words from the list below and record the definition of
the word.
abashed abrasive abusive acquiescent accepting acerbic admiring adoring affectionate aghast
allusive amused angry anxious apologetic apprehensive approving arch ardent argumentative
audacious awe-struck bantering begrudging bemused benevolent biting bitter blithe boastful
cutting cynical defamatory denunciatory bored despairing brisk detached bristling devil-may-care
brusque didactic calm disbelieving candid discouraged caressing disdainful caustic disparaging
cavalier disrespectful childish distracted child-like doubtful clipped dramatic cold dreamy
complimentary dry condescending ecstatic confident entranced confused enthusiastic coy
eulogistic contemptuous exhilarated conversational exultant critical facetious curt fanciful fearful
flippant fond forceful frightened frivolous ghoulish giddy gleeful glum grim guarded guilty happy
harsh haughty heavy-hearted hollow horrified humorous hypercritical indifferent indignant
indulgent ironic irreverent joking joyful languorous languid laudatory light-hearted lingering loving
marveling melancholy mistrustful mocking mysterious naïve neutral nostalgic objective peaceful
pessimistic pitiful playful poignant pragmatic proud provocative questioning rallying reflective
reminiscing reproachful resigned respectful restrained reticent reverent rueful sad sarcastic
sardonic satirical satisfied seductive self-critical self-dramatizing self-justifying sympathetic selfmocking taunting self-pitying tense self-satisfied thoughtful sentimental threatening serious tired
severe touchy sharp trenchant shocked uncertain silly understated sly upset smug urgent solemn
vexed somber vibrant stern wary straightforward whimsical stentorian withering strident wry
stunned zealous subdued swaggering sweet
+
Poems: Stories of Emotions
Poems are a series of moods that change as the poems
move from start to finish.
Whether or not we understand what everything in the poems mean, we can
experience, enjoy, and convey to others the poems’ emotional drama. We
do this by recognizing the changing tones of voice that the speakers of the
poems adopt as the poems move from beginning to the end.
Read and listen to Kay Ryan’s recitation of “Jenny Kissed Me”. Jot down
notes about where in the poem – at what words or phrases- you hear the
poem shift in mood, or the performer shift in her tone of voice.
Now, using the tone list, have the students brainstorm names for each tone
they have heard. Encourage them to combine terms whenever they need
to: for example, “bantering disbelief” is different from “stunned disbelief,”
and both are different from “horrified disbelief.” You could explain that
emotions don’t always come in primary colors; often colors blend, and
shade into one another. The more accurate their descriptions are, the more
distinctions they can learn to recognize.
+
Poems: Stories of Emotions
Review the “tone map” of “Jenny Kissed Me” printed below. In the left column we
find the poem, divided into sections according to where the tone might shift. Note that
tone shifts may be the same as the poem’s lines, stanzas, or sentences, but shifts in
tone may also take place in shorter units, such as phrase by phrase. In the right
column are names for the tone of voice one might hear in the poem, and therefore try
to convey in performance.
Section
Tone
Jenny kissed me when we met,
Fond reminiscence
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Amused, affectionate
Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into
your list,
Still amused (now by Time, rather than by
Jenny), but growing a little wary, a little
scornful
Put that in!
Disdainful
Say I’m weary,
Shrugging
Say I’m sad,
Candid, a little sad
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Lightly or playfully regretful
Say I’m growing old,
Real regret
But add,
Rallying, insistent
Jenny kissed me.
Marveling, contented
+
Poems: Stories of Emotions
Discuss the tones in this “tone map” with the students. Are these the tones
they heard in Kay Ryan’s reading? If not, how would they describe what they
heard? Do they think that parts of the poem should be read in a tone that is
different from both Ryan’s recitation and the tone map? What tone seems
better in what section, and why?
Section
Tone
Jenny kissed me when we met,
Fond reminiscence
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Amused, affectionate
Time, you thief, who love to get Sweets into
your list,
Still amused (now by Time, rather than by
Jenny), but growing a little wary, a little
scornful
Put that in!
Disdainful
Say I’m weary,
Shrugging
Say I’m sad,
Candid, a little sad
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Lightly or playfully regretful
Say I’m growing old,
Real regret
But add,
Rallying, insistent
Jenny kissed me.
Marveling, contented
+Poem/Recitation:
Hamlet’s “To be or not to be”
Listen to three performances of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech
Discuss the contrasting tones they hear in these different readings.
What different questions do the actors seem to be asking? Which
performance do they prefer? Why?
Poem/Recitation:
William Wordsworth’s “The World Is Too Much With Us.”
Mark where the shifts in tone seem to occur, and next to the poem,
draft a “tone map” of the poem using the tone list.
Listen to play Angela Lansbury’s reading of the poem.
Does Lansbury’s performance of the poem match your “tone map,”
either in terms of where she has shifted tones, or in terms of the tones
and emotions she brings to the poem. Where does Lansbury’s differ
from yours? How would you describe her shifts in tone? Which
choices do you prefer, and why?
Poem/Recitatio
n:
Choose a poem you wish to recite from
the Poetry Out Loud anthology, and format
it as a two-column “map”.
Before you perform the poem, you should
tell your classmates the series of tones
you wish to convey.
After the recitation, students should
respond by telling the performer whether
he or she was successful at conveying
those tones, and also whether they think
that the tone for any section or sections
was incorrect—and if so, why, and what it
ought to be.
Poem/Recitatio
n:
Extra Credit Assignment
Perform your poem in front of the entire
class and for evaluation.
The score you receive on your evaluation
will be the amount of extra credit points
you receive (up to 50 points).
If you present the best class performance,
you must participate in the school-wide
competition. Winning the school
competition will earn you an additional 50
points.