AGENDA
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FOCUS: What is tone and how does it relate to diction?
*Opening: It Says, I Say—Foster Ch. 10-14
* Seminar: Chapter 10-14
*Read, “The Naked and the Nude”
*Tone Vocabulary List—which tone words best fit this poem? Do you see
tone shifts?
*Tone shifts: boxing strategy, teacher model with Frost, Round, and Issa.
*How can this help you with analysis?
*Read, Mooney poem and look for diction, tone, and tone shift
*Mooney Poem Rewrite Activity: change the diction and tone
*Closing: shares
*HW: Read Wilbur’s Poem, “The Barred Owl” and write an analytical
response of 250-500 words based on prompt. GRADED!
MATERIALS
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Class Copies of “It Says” Handout
Class Copies of “The Naked and the Nude”
Class Copies of Tone Vocabulary
Class Copies of Tone Shifting Strategy
OPENING ACTIVITY
Grab a handout and follow the
directions to do some
reflections on Foster and what
you read for homework…
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Homework: You will read a poem called, “The
Barred Owl” and write a 250-500 word
response…see the back of the handout.
This will be a graded response meaning, it
will be turned in for feedback and an actual
grade in powerschool.
SEMINAR
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Circle up and let’s talk about Foster chapters
10-14…
TONE, TONE SHIFTS
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Today we are going to really focus on another huge aspect of AP
Literature (that shows up quite a bit on the AP Exam), which is tone and
tone shifts.
TONE: It is the attitude or feeling of the speaker towards
something…it is especially conveyed through things like diction
and imagery.
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Example: When I think about Miley Cyrus, I can’t help but feel my insides
churn and bile migrate upwards. TONE—very negative, repulsed, angry, etc.
Example: When I think about Channing Tatum, my face turns flush and I feel
like I am on a cloud. TONE—very positive, happy, content.
TONE SHIFT: This is where you see the feeling of the poem, story,
etc., dramatically change. This also usually signifies a change in
focus, message, and/or purpose.
NAKED and the NUDE
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Let’s read a poem that can help us consider
tone…
What is the author’s attiudes/feelings—his
tone—towards the “naked” vs. the “nude”
 Read
it on your own.
 Discuss it with a partner.
 Discuss it as a class.
NAKED and the NUDE
TONE VOCAB
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Look at the (huge I know!) tone vocabulary list.
Consider some words you think would be
appropriate for this poem.
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Discuss in your table groups.
Realize, this poem has quite a few tone
shifts…basically every stanza changes because the
poet’s connotations of “naked” vs. “nude” change.
The irony is that technically the denotations of
“naked” and “nude” are the exact same!
TONE SHIFTS, BOXING STRATEGY
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Let’s look at some simple poems and identify
the following….
 Tone
Shifts
 Meaning
 Author’s message or purpose
TONE SHIFTS, BOXING STRATEGY
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Tone Shifts
Meaning
Author’s message or purpose
Guess the Title…
The Span of Life
________________________________By
Robert Frost
The old dog barks backwards without getting up.
I can remember when he was a pup.
The first box seems to focus on the present, while the
second box seems to focus on the past—the poem’s big
message is about memory. The tone is nostalgic.
PRACTICE
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Let’s review the other two simple poems..
1. Try boxing, annotating, deciphering on your
own.
2. Discuss as a class…
TRY THIS POEM YOURSELF!
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Tone Shifts
Meaning
Author’s message or purpose
In a Station of the Metro by Ezra Pound
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
petals on a wet, black bough.
The first box focuses on humanity, then the second box
switches to nature. The big focus seems to be on connecting
man and nature. The tone feels haunting. ALSO—notice the
semi-colon! Punctuation is a great way to see a tone shift!
TRY THIS POEM YOURSELF
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Tone Shifts
Meaning
Author’s message or purpose
By Issa, translated by Robert Hass
Climb Mount Fuji,
O snail,
but slowly, slowly.
The first box seems to focus
on the situation, while the
second box gives advice. The
poem is a haiku. NOTICE—the
word “but”—which is a
common word to see to signal
a tone shift.
So…WRITING
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So how can this help your writing?
It can help you with analysis and how the
poem connects to the real world…
MODEL RESPONSE
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Robert Frost’s poem, “The Span of Life” may appear simple because of its two concise
lines, but his poem reveals complex push and pull of human life. We live life in the
present, but not without the flickers of the past and hopes of the future interrupting
our present day thoughts. Frost’s poem clearly focuses on the themes of the present
in his opening line because the persona is presently seeing “the old dog” barking but
not “getting up” (1). His tone is also specific and could be read as informative—the
speaker is letting the reader know what the dog is and isn’t doing. Some might even
argue the speaker appears a little amused because of his description of the dog
barking “backwards.” If you ever had a dog, you might be able to envision the
imagery—an older dog who still has the energy to bark at something bothering him,
but the control, age, or even laziness that keeps him from running to the window,
door, etc. Frost line does create an amusing image many dog owners can connect
with. Then, you see a shift on several levels with his second line. There is a clear tone
shift for the speaker becomes more sentimental; this sentimental attitude is clear in
the use of the word “pup” (2). The meaning also shifts in time, for the speaker is
remembering the past years of his older dog. Collectively the poem speaks about
life—life of past and present and his title, “The Span of Life” is cleverly captured in his
two poetic lines. Frost’s rhetoric genius is in his simple poem, and even though it is
to the point, it says so much about the human condition.
What makes this a good response? Share and discuss…
MORE COMPLEX PRACTICE
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Let’s try this boxing strategy with the poem by
Mooney…
Also, use other poetry strategies to help you make
meaning and find things worth discussing and
noticing…
Hand-up, Stand-up, Pair-up: find a partner not at your
table and compare your findings…where did you find
the tone shift?
Class discussion…
CREATIVE PLAY WITH POEM
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Lastly, go through the poem and highlight the
most significant phrases and word choices.
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Example, “Shut up” is a pretty strong phrase.
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Now let’s try the poetry rewrite strategy. Look at
what you underlined and write in some NEW
phrases and diction choices to change the tone
and message of the poem.
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Example: “Shut up mother” becomes “Play with us
mother”
CLOSING
 Share—what
did you change and how did it
change the poem’s tone?
 HOMEWORK:
Barred Owl Response due
tomorrow! Remember, it is graded!