“Watch your tone, Missy!” A lesson on tone and mood

Tone in literature tells us how the author thinks about his or her subject. Tone is the author's attitude toward story and readers. Mood (or atmosphere) is the effect of the writer's words on the reader. Mood is how the writer’s words make us feel. Tone Mood

Key words to help you define tone in a story:   Amused Humorous Pessimistic Angry Informal Playful Cheerful Pompous Light Sad Matter-of-fact Serious Formal Gloomy Optimistic Witty Key words to help you define tone in a story:

Key words to help you define mood in a story: Melancholy Frightening Mysterious Frustrating Romantic Gloomy Sentimental Happy Sorrowful Joyful Suspenseful Key words to help you define mood in a story:

What is the tone of this sentence? Context Clues? Example: She huddled in the corner, clutching her tattered blanket and shaking convulsively, as she feverishly searched the room for the unknown dangers that awaited her. What is the tone of this sentence? Context Clues? What is the mood of this sentence?

Example: Gently smiling, the mother tenderly tucked the covers up around the child’s neck, and carefully, quietly, left the room making sure to leave a comforting ray of light shining through the opened door should the child wake. Tone? Context Clues? Mood?

One more… The laughing wind skipped through the village, teasing trees until they danced with anger and cajoling the grass into fighting itself, blade slapping blade, as the silly dog with golfball eyes and flopping, slobbery tongue bounded across the lawn. Tone? Mood?

Your Task: Think of a childhood memory that you remember clearly. In 6-7 sentences write about this memory by assuming a distinct tone which will, in turn, create an effective mood for your story. Use the key words on your handout to help you choose a tone.