“The Interlopers” Tone & Voice Practice

Tone and Voice Voice The writer’s use of language and overall style Voice is created by the writer’s tone and choice of words (diction). You can often identify the author of a piece of writing from the voice The narrators voice can affect our view of characters and plot, and shape the tone of the story as a whole. Writers will often switch voices on purpose, or their voice may change over time, but usually a writer’s voice remains the same from work to work In fiction, narrators can also be said to have a voice, which is created by their manner of speaking, word choice, and tone. Tone Attitude a speaker or author uses toward a subject, character, or audience. Tone can be described in a single word – typically an adjective. Examples: joyous, somber, humorous, serious, angry, mellow, ironic, etc…. If you change a story’s point of view, you may change the tone as well. For example: how might the tone of “Helen on 86th Street” be different if the mom were telling the story instead of Vita?

Divide a sheet of paper in half Divide a sheet of paper in half. Label one side “Tone” and one side “Voice” For the side labeled “Tone” Identify the tone of the story (be sure to look at your notes regarding the definition of tone). Support your chosen tone with evidence from the story. Be sure you are giving specific examples that reveal the connection, rather than giving me plot summary. Does the tone change at any point? If so, what does the tone change to, and at what point in the story does that change take place? For the side labeled “Voice” Describe the voice of the story overall (be sure to look at your lecture notes regarding the definition of voice). How does this voice affect readers insight and perception of the characters and plot of the story? On back, answer questions 3-7 from pages 157 about the story.