Boot Camp
AP Literature
Tone, Mood, and Style
Tone
Definition: the
author’s attitude toward
the reader or the
subject of a literary
work.
Example:
What is Faulkner’s attitude toward
Southern society in “A Rose for Emily?"
Tone and Mood
Mood: the
How might we describe
feeling created the mood of the story?
in the reader by
an audience by Are there shifts?
a literary work.
Mood is
sometimes
called
“atmosphere”
‘Tude: the
author’s
attitude toward
the reader or
the subject of a
literary work.
We might say that
Faulkner takes a critical
tone in “A Rose for Emily”
toward the Southern
society’s struggle with
change.
Tone and Style
The subject matter is
Tone: the
“the what” of the
author’s
attitude toward story.
the reader or
the subject of a
literary work.
Style: the way
in which a
literary work is
written; the
devices the
author uses to
express
thoughts and
to convey
subject matter
The style is part of “the
how” of the story.
Stylish Shakespeare
How to Determine Tone
See Handout for examples…
 Pay attention to diction. In speaking, diction refers to how words are
pronounced. In literature, it refers to the words the author chooses to
use, whether the words chosen are abstract or concrete, general or
specific, and formal or informal.
 Look at the imagery. This is descriptive language that reveals what
the author or character thinks and feels about what's happening.
 Study the details. No author can include every fact about a
character, a scene or an event in the story. Which details are
included and which omitted are important indicators of tone
 Listen to the language. The author will choose words according to
their connotation, a meaning beyond the literal definition, that's
suggested by a word, in order to reveal to the reader, the author's
attitude toward the subject.
 Break down the sentence structure. This is the way individual
sentences are constructed. The author varies his or her sentence
structure to convey tone and may employ a pattern the reader can
recognize.
Discovering Tone & Style
 Determine
the
writer’s attitude
toward the subject
matter.
 Sympathetic?
Satirical?
 Determine
the
writer’s attitude
toward the
reader/audience.
 Respectful?
Condescending?
Other Elements That Determine an
Author’s Style of Writing
Elements of Style:
Overall stylistic concepts- something can be expository- explains or tells about a focus,
descriptive- shows through language, persuasive- provides reasoning and justification, and
narrative- tells a story
Key Aspects in Styles of Writing Include:
1. sentence length, structure, variation, position, and syntax
2. use of sensory details, figurative language, and other literary devices
3. the use of sound devices- alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhythm, repetition
4. the use of dialogue
5. word choice
6. tone
7. use of local color
8. the use of irony
Analysis of Tone/Style Stories
 Analyze
your story by identifying and
explaining the significant structural
components such as:
 setting,
characterization, POV, theme, irony,
symbolism, etc.
 How do these structural elements impact the
tone/style of your story?
 What
is the tone of your story?
 What is the style?
 Effect? Proof?