Synthesis of Literary Elements TONE

Tone is... The writer/speaker’s attitude toward the subject and the audience The writer/speaker’s attitude toward the subject and the audience Quite often described by a single adjective Quite often described by a single adjective –Ex: playful, serious, formal, sarcastic, proud, didactic, vibrant

How do we analyze tone? Well, by examining DIDLS, of course. Well, by examining DIDLS, of course. D iction I magery D etails L anguage S entence structure

Diction The connotation of word choice Ex: fat vs. roly-poly vs. obese The old man was fat  (blunt) The old man was roly-poly  (jolly) The old man was obese  (critical or clinical)

Imagery Vivid appeals to understanding through the senses –olfactory (smell) –tactile (touch) –visual (sight) –auditory (hearing) –gustatory (taste)

Imagery (cont.) Ex: “He clasps the crag with crooked hands.” –Tactile, visual imagery  dramatic tone What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory way (sight, touch, taste, smell, etc.)? Are they vibrant? Prominent? Plain? What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory way (sight, touch, taste, smell, etc.)? Are they vibrant? Prominent? Plain? NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they appeal to the senses. NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they appeal to the senses.

Details The facts that are included or those omitted PLEASE NOTE: Details are facts or fact-lets. They differ from images in that they don't have a strong sensory appeal.

Details (cont.) Ex: What changes in detail might a one make in reporting a minor car accident to her parents, a policeman, or her friends at school?

Language The overall use of language (i.e. clinical, formal, jargon, etc.) What is the overall impression of the language the author uses? Does it reflect education? A particular profession? Intelligence? Is it plain? Ornate? Simple? Clear? Figurative? Poetic?

Language (cont.) Ex: An invitation to a graduation might use formal language, whereas a biology text would use scientific and clinical language.

Sentence Structure How structure affects the reader’s attitude Interrogative sentence creates tension between reader & speaker Interrogative sentence creates tension between reader & speaker Short sentences– often emphatic Short sentences– often emphatic Long sentences– often distancing, reflective Long sentences– often distancing, reflective

Sentence Structure (cont.) Ex: “Dozy. That’s what his teacher had called him. Dozy. He’d always been like that. Dreaming in class. Off in a world of his own. Unreliable. Vague. He was sick of all the labels they attached to him – they had really absolutely no idea what was going on in his head.” Question: How does the sentence structure here help distinguish the teacher’s opinion from the narrator’s? Question: How does the sentence structure here help distinguish the teacher’s opinion from the narrator’s?

“The Weary Blues” 1 st - Read the poem out loud without making any marks 2 nd - Annotate the text as follows: Circle all of the key examples of diction Circle all of the key examples of diction Underline key examples of imagery Underline key examples of imagery Double underline key details Double underline key details Note which passages reveal language that is used to create an overall impression Note which passages reveal language that is used to create an overall impression Mark where sentence structure (sentence length, punctuation, repetition, etc.) creates tone Mark where sentence structure (sentence length, punctuation, repetition, etc.) creates tone 3 rd - In the margin, write out the tone that is created by the DIDLS