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Style, Tone, and Mood: To Support The Author S Purpose
Style, Tone, and Mood: To Support The Author S Purpose
What is STYLE ?
Every author has his or her own style that is, each author uses literary devices, tone, and mood in a particular way that makes his or her writing recognizable. When you read several books by the same author, you become accustomed to the authors style of writing and sometimes you look for authors with a similar style.
STYLE
STYLE is the way the author uses words, phrases, and sentences. The authors 1) personal word choice/vocabulary, 2) types of sentences, 3) point of view from which the text is told, 4) organization of the text. These 4 components will reveal his/her style.
STYLE
So, when analyzing an authors style, we need to consider: point-of-view, formal or informal writing, organization/structure of text, level of complexity in the writing, and overall tone. By using these features in writing, different meanings of the content (what the story/text is about) are shown to the audience.
Formal
Informal
Vocabulary low-level; perhaps slang; dialogue Organization of text more so narrative or note-like Audience usually personal (more first or thirdlimited) Sentences dont vary as much in structure; mostly simple or compound sentences
Cause - Effect Problem Solution Chronological (sequencing the order of events) Compare/Contrast Inductive (specific to general) Deductive (general to specific) Division into categories Ranking (i.e., most __ to least ___)
Can you predict which would be writing patterns for giving information? For entertaining? For expressing an opinion? For persuading someone to believe as you do?
** Well discuss these styles more in depth next six weeks; for now, just know they exist.
Does the author use mostly simple sentence structure or varies the sentence structures (simple, compound, complex sentences)?
STYLE
When
analyzing style, you must look at a piece of writing FROM the overall structure of the text TO the small details and word choices. Be an editor, a critic, to answer the question: how would I describe this authors writing style?
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. Lets hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.
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.
Evidence? Point of View: 3rd omnisicient Organizational structure: cause-effect Word choices: unfortunate, resources
Style
There
may be as many styles as there are writers. Think about your favorite authors? Why do you like their books? Is it because of their style of writing? . . . And so, how would you describe their style of writing?
Style
Descriptive? Thoroughly-developed? Academic? Formal? Informal? Business-like? Personal?
TONE
TONE is simply the authors attitude toward the subject. 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. Tone must be inferred through the use of descriptive words.
Tone Example
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.
The tone of this passage is ominous, suggesting a little bit of fear or foreboding. Words like "caution, dark, and looming lead readers to the tone.
TONE EXAMPLE
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. The tone of this passage is happy/contentment as there was a successful, happy resolution to the problem.
TONE
Identifying the TONE is all about knowing the definitions of many descriptive vocabulary words. Without this large vocabulary, its difficult to describe outside of good and bad.
TONE So, lets TONE our brain muscles with descriptive vocabulary exercises!!
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. Lets hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.
Evidence?
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.
Evidence?
MOOD
MOOD is the overall feelings or emotions that are created IN THE READER. The power of the pen can move mountains. Authors move their readers moods through their choice of words and level of detail.
MOOD EXAMPLE
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: Content, happy. How do we know? Words like "warm, excited, glittered are used by the author.
MOOD EXAMPLE
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
Again, 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?
Furious Disappointed Dreamy, foggy Content Satisfied Angry Motivated Inspired Confident Eerie
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. Lets hide something good in his shoes. Then, when he wakes up, he will have a nice surprise.
Evidence?
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.
In non-fiction, expository (report-like) pieces of writing, there is usually not enough hints to produce a mood for the reader. Its just factual information. (Of course, this
doesnt mean it inhibits you to think about it! Again, the power of pen has moved mountains.)
Its Now Time to Play the Number One Television Game in America: Critics Corner!
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Directions: With a partner, choose two childrens books from the table. Also, pick up from the table two copies of the Style, Tone, and Mood chart. Take turns reading the books aloud with your partner. Complete the charts to identify s/t/m. Each person then be prepared to present your your critique of the books on our show, Critics Corner!