TONE
Tone is the writer’s attitude toward the writing itself; toward the subject; toward the people, places,
time and events in the passage and/or toward the audience. Tone is an important tool in understanding
what the writer is saying. The writer’s tone or attitude may be serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic,
pessimistic, critical, objective, or playful. Indeed, the author’s feelings may be any of the attitudes and
feelings that human beings experience. The author will create a specific tone that reinforces how the
narrator, speaker, or character feels about someone or something. The author’s style reveals these
attitudes to the reader. When you are asked to determine the speaker’s reaction to an event, look for the
underlying emotions in any passage.