Style, Tone, Style, Tone, and Moodand Mood

To help develop your writer’s voice!

What is What is STYLE STYLE ?? Every author has his or her own Every author has his or her own style style – –

that is, each author uses literary devices, that is, each author uses literary devices, tone, and mood in a particular way that tone, and mood in a particular way that makes his or her writing recognizable.makes his or her writing recognizable.

When you read several books by the When you read several books by the same author, you become accustomed to same author, you become accustomed to the authorthe author’’s style of writing and sometimes s style of writing and sometimes you look for authors with a similar style.you look for authors with a similar style.

STYLESTYLESTYLE is STYLE is the way the author uses words, the way the author uses words,

phrases, and sentencesphrases, and sentences. .

The authorThe author’’s s 1)1) personal word choice/vocabulary, personal word choice/vocabulary, 2)2) types of sentences, types of sentences, 3)3) point of view from which the text is told,point of view from which the text is told,4)4) organization of the text. organization of the text.

These 4 components will reveal his/her style. These 4 components will reveal his/her style.

STYLESTYLESo, when analyzing an authorSo, when analyzing an author’’s style, we need s style, we need

to consider: to consider: point-of-view, point-of-view, formal or informal writing, formal or informal writing, organization/structure of text, organization/structure of text, level of complexity in the writing, and level of complexity in the writing, and overall overall tonetone. . By using these features in writing, different By using these features in writing, different

meanings of the content (what the meanings of the content (what the story/text is about) are shown to the story/text is about) are shown to the audience.audience.

Style: Which Point of View?Style: Which Point of View?First person:First person: (I, me, my) (I, me, my)

I went to the store today. When I was in the cereal aisle, I bumped into an I went to the store today. When I was in the cereal aisle, I bumped into an old friend and had a nice conversation.old friend and had a nice conversation.

Second person: (you; instructions/directions)Second person: (you; instructions/directions) You should work on getting your room cleaned. First, pick up the clothes on You should work on getting your room cleaned. First, pick up the clothes on the floor. Then, you need to run a vacuum and dust the tables. the floor. Then, you need to run a vacuum and dust the tables.

Third person – limited: (he/she/it/they/them told thru 1 character)Third person – limited: (he/she/it/they/them told thru 1 character)He could tell from the expression on her face that what he had said upset He could tell from the expression on her face that what he had said upset her. If only he knew, though, what she was really thinking.her. If only he knew, though, what she was really thinking.

Third-person Omniscient (Third-person Omniscient (‘‘all knowingall knowing’’): ): (he/she/it/they/them told by the author; all characters(he/she/it/they/them told by the author; all characters’’ feelings/thoughts are revealed)feelings/thoughts are revealed) She refused to look at Jamie again and instead stared at the She refused to look at Jamie again and instead stared at the statue. statue.

““Come on!Come on!”” exclaimed Jamie impatiently. exclaimed Jamie impatiently. ““ItIt’’s time to go.s time to go.””Sara ignored Jamie and continued to gaze upon the statue wishing Sara ignored Jamie and continued to gaze upon the statue wishing

she, too, could be so still and at peace. she, too, could be so still and at peace.

. .

Style: Formal vs. InformalStyle: Formal vs. InformalFormal:Formal:

Dear Sir,Dear Sir,After examining your job description, I feel I am After examining your job description, I feel I am

an excellent candidate. I have many years of an excellent candidate. I have many years of experience performing these specific duties. My experience performing these specific duties. My résumé is attached. Please read it over at your résumé is attached. Please read it over at your convenience and contact me if you have questions.convenience and contact me if you have questions.

Sincerely,Sincerely,Andrew MeyerAndrew Meyer

Informal:Informal:Hey, Sara! What's going on tonight? Call me before Hey, Sara! What's going on tonight? Call me before

you guys leave, okay?you guys leave, okay?--Beth--Beth

Formal vs. InformalFormal vs. InformalThese are the two These are the two major categories of stylemajor categories of style..

FormalFormalVocabulary: high-level; Vocabulary: high-level;

business-likebusiness-like

Organization of text: Organization of text: very structured; very structured; perhaps with perhaps with subtopicssubtopics

Audience – usually 3Audience – usually 3rdrd--omnisicient (except omnisicient (except for business letters)for business letters)

Sentences: structure Sentences: structure varies (s/cd/cx)varies (s/cd/cx)

InformalInformal

Vocabulary – low-level; Vocabulary – low-level; perhaps slang; dialogueperhaps slang; dialogue

Organization of text – more Organization of text – more so narrative or note-likeso narrative or note-like

Audience – usually personal Audience – usually personal (more first or third-(more first or third-limited)limited)

Sentences – donSentences – don’’t vary as t vary as much in structure; mostly much in structure; mostly simple or compound simple or compound sentencessentences

TONETONETONE is simply the authorTONE is simply the author’’s attitude s attitude

toward the subject. toward the subject. You can recognize the tone/attitude by the You can recognize the tone/attitude by the

language/word choices the author uses. language/word choices the author uses. His language will reveal his His language will reveal his perspective/opinion (that is, whether it is perspective/opinion (that is, whether it is positive/negative) about the subject.positive/negative) about the subject.

Tone Tone must be inferredmust be inferred through the use of through the use of descriptive words.descriptive words.

Tone Example Tone Example    The girls were playing in the pond, splashing each other The girls were playing in the pond, splashing each other

and trying to catch fish with their hands. They were having and trying to catch fish with their hands. They were having fun, but kept looking over their shoulders at the looming fun, but kept looking over their shoulders at the looming forest. The long grass of the field kept moving and they sort forest. The long grass of the field kept moving and they sort of felt like they were being watched… About a half hour of felt like they were being watched… About a half hour passed and still the girls kept checking the field for passed and still the girls kept checking the field for movements. It seemed like a pair of dark eyes was on them. movements. It seemed like a pair of dark eyes was on them. They even considered going back inside, but that would They even considered going back inside, but that would mean homework time. So they continued splashing, but with mean homework time. So they continued splashing, but with caution now. Their eyes hardly left the field.caution now. Their eyes hardly left the field.

The The tonetone of this passage is of this passage is ominousominous , suggesting a little bit of , suggesting a little bit of fear or forebodingfear or foreboding .. Words like "caution, dark, and Words like "caution, dark, and loominglooming““ lead readers to the tone. lead readers to the tone.

TONE EXAMPLETONE EXAMPLEFinally, one of the girls pointed to the grass and Finally, one of the girls pointed to the grass and

giggled. "Meow!" A cat sat on the edge of the giggled. "Meow!" A cat sat on the edge of the field and licked its paw. They did indeed have field and licked its paw. They did indeed have company. The girls ran over to the cat and pet his company. The girls ran over to the cat and pet his belly. They laughed and the cat sauntered back belly. They laughed and the cat sauntered back to the field. to the field.

The The tonetone of this passage is happy/contentment as of this passage is happy/contentment as there was a successful, happy resolution to the there was a successful, happy resolution to the problem.problem.

TONETONE

Identifying the TONE is all about knowing Identifying the TONE is all about knowing the definitions of many descriptive the definitions of many descriptive vocabulary words. Without this large vocabulary words. Without this large vocabulary, itvocabulary, it’’s difficult to describe outside s difficult to describe outside of of ““goodgood”” and and ““bad.bad.””

TONETONESo, letSo, let’’s s TONETONE our brain muscles with our brain muscles with

descriptive vocabulary exercises!!descriptive vocabulary exercises!!

BitterBitter SeriousSerious WittyWitty PlayfulPlayful TenderTender SympatheticSympathetic HauntingHaunting MysteriousMysterious SuspensefulSuspenseful

Tasteful/distastefulTasteful/distasteful NonchalantNonchalant Angry Angry Attached/DetachedAttached/Detached InnocentInnocent PoignantPoignant CompassionateCompassionate HumorousHumorous Gore-yGore-y

MOODMOOD

MOOD is the overall feelings or emotions MOOD is the overall feelings or emotions that are created IN THE READER. that are created IN THE READER.

The The ““power of the penpower of the pen”” can move can move mountains. mountains.

Authors Authors ““movemove”” their readers their readers’’ moods moods through their choice of words and level of through their choice of words and level of detail.detail.

MOOD EXAMPLEMOOD EXAMPLE  

During the holidays, my mother's house glittered with During the holidays, my mother's house glittered with decorations and hummed with preparations. We ate decorations and hummed with preparations. We ate cookies and drank cider while we helped her wrap cookies and drank cider while we helped her wrap bright packages and trim the tree. We felt warm and bright packages and trim the tree. We felt warm and excited, listening to Christmas carols and even singing excited, listening to Christmas carols and even singing along sometimes. We would tease each other about along sometimes. We would tease each other about our terrible voices and then sing even louder. our terrible voices and then sing even louder.

Mood:Mood: Content, happy. How do we know? Words like Content, happy. How do we know? Words like "warm, excited, glittered"warm, excited, glittered”” are used by the author. are used by the author.

MOOD EXAMPLEMOOD EXAMPLEAfter New Year's the time came to put all the decorations After New Year's the time came to put all the decorations

away and settle in for the long, cold winter. The house away and settle in for the long, cold winter. The house seemed to sigh as we boxed up its finery. The tree seemed to sigh as we boxed up its finery. The tree was dry and brittle, and now waited forlornly by the was dry and brittle, and now waited forlornly by the side of the road to be picked up. side of the road to be picked up.

Mood:Mood: Dreary, depressed. How do we know? "cold, Dreary, depressed. How do we know? "cold, sigh, brittle, forlornly"sigh, brittle, forlornly"

MOODMOOD

Again, identifying the mood of a piece of Again, identifying the mood of a piece of writing will depend on the number of writing will depend on the number of descriptive words you know to answer the descriptive words you know to answer the question: How did this paragraph, this question: How did this paragraph, this passage, this story make the character or passage, this story make the character or make you feel?make you feel?

You’re Done!You’re Done!

Now that you’ve developing an Now that you’ve developing an understanding of writing style, please tone understanding of writing style, please tone and mood to help devleop your style or and mood to help devleop your style or voice. voice.

Be sure to watch the ‘Diction’ video that Be sure to watch the ‘Diction’ video that follows this assigmemnt on Moodle.follows this assigmemnt on Moodle.