Tone And Mood_ho

Mood & Tone Mood is how the story makes the reader feel (sentimental, anxious, frightened, sad, silly, happy, etc.)

Tone is the author’s attitude toward his/her subject and reflects the author’s purpose; if the author’s purpose is to entertain, the tone may be playful. If his/her purpose is to inform, the tone may be serious. The mood emphasizes the reader whereas the tone emphasizes the author’s attitude. To help you remember the difference, think about the way we use these words in real life. • “I think I will play some romantic music tonight to help set the mood for our date.” o Here, “setting the mood” is meant to make the other person feel loving and affectionate. • “Don’t use that tone of voice with me young man!” o “That tone” indicates the speaker had an attitude he was projecting along with the words he used.

Editorial cartoons, Saturday Night Live, and all other forms of satire offer great examples of tone, or an author’s attitude toward his/her subject. In this cartoon, what issue is cartoonist Patrick Corrigan addressing? What is his tone, or attitude, toward this issue?

How does this picture from Quarantine make you feel? Why? Imagine this image described only in words. How might those words convey the mood? Which medium, pictures or words, most easily evokes mood? How does the setting convey mood? Dialogue? Imagery? Details?