Tone Check List

TONE Tone is the author’s attitude toward his/her audience or topic (usually expressed in pairs) Example: condemning and bitter feeling the setting gives Tone can be – calm, reasonable, angry, sarcastic, caring, hyper, passionate, happy, fun, funny, or any other combination of emotional words. Tone can change in different parts of an essay or even a sentence. An overall tone for an entire text is a summary of the attitudes revealed. Don’t mix up with Mood

What does he/she use? Connotative (having the power of implying or suggesting something in addition to what is explicit)? Loaded (words with a strong positive or negative CONNOTATION)?

When an author uses only a few emotionally loaded words and makes their argument using mostly logical appeals (facts, examples, statistics, anecdotes, expert opinions/evidence), an argument is said to have a rational or reasonable tone. Example: In his persuasive essay “Music To Whose Ears?”, the author uses a mostly reasonable tone, though he does express a happy feeling about loud music and concern or even anger at the proposed law.

How does syntax affect tone? Blunt, matter of fact? Ornate, mellifluous/pleasing to the ear?

What images create tone? Harsh, allude to death/destruction? Positive or Negative? Color?

Example- Identify the tone… John surveyed his classmates, congratulating himself for snatching the highest grade without studying at all, unlike all the other dolts in the class.

More practice… View the clip and identify the tone change throughout (click here)

Personal Reflection section Without specifically saying John was arrogant, the writer has conveyed this idea. "Surveying," "snatching," and "dolts" carry out this feeling. 1) Choose one word from the “Tone Word” handout (Do not choose one of the words meaning "arrogance.") Write one sentence on any topic that by itself (without using your word) gives the feeling of the tone you chose. Share

2) Now write commentary for your sentence 2) Now write commentary for your sentence. What words did you include that conveyed the tone you wanted? How did they do this?

More Practice Listen to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHOL1PcPR8 (Please excuse the profanity- remember to stop at the end) Now, read and identify the tone for the passages on your “Tone Words” handout