1. Mrs. Rotramel
7th Grade
Literature and
Language
Quarter 2
Tone, Mood, and Theme
Journal: What is the feeling (mood) you get from this picture? Why?
Definitions from Scholastic.com

2. Mood
mood (mood): The feeling the reader gets from a work of literature. Another way to describe a story’s mood is atmosphere.
When you walk into a place, it has an atmosphere that makes you feel a certain way; when you “walk into” a story, it too has an atmosphere that makes you feel a certain way.
For example, the mood could be calm, creepy, romantic, sad, or tense.
Authors create mood through word choice, imagery, dialogue, setting, and plot. The mood can stay the same from the beginning to
the end of a story, or it can change.

3. Tone: The author’s attitude toward the subject matter or toward the reader or audience.
Words that could describe tone include doubtful, humorous, gleeful, serious, and questioning.
Tone is conveyed through the author’s word choices and the details that he or she includes.
Tone

4. Theme is a story’s main message or moral.
What is the message of the song?
The theme of fables is the moral.
Can you find a specific line that seems to state the theme?
Some stories may have more than one, but one or two generally rise to the surface.
What is the theme of the Three Little Pigs?
Little Red Riding Hood?
Hansel and Gretel?
What is the theme of your book?

5. Focus and application:
Objective: Analyze the tone and mood of your lit circle book. You will probably need to finish your book before understanding the theme.
Purpose for reading today – establishing tone and mood. What words did you find in today’s reading that establish the mood? Write them on a sticky. Remember to include page numbers! Mood – the feeling you get Tone – The author’s attitude How could these help us to determine the main idea?