Tone and Mood

Differentiating Between
Tone and Mood

Tone is the author’s attitude toward the

subject, the characters, or the readers, which
is revealed by the author’s diction (word
choice).

Tone words can be positive, negative, or neutral:

Positive Negative Neutral

Exhuberant Unambiguous Indignant
Playful Objective Hostile
Compassionate Condescending
Happy Glum

More often than not, a word will have a positive

or negative tone.

Mood is the emotional response a reader

has to the author's tone.

The author uses tone to give readers clues

about what’s going on in the piece. The
mood is the result of this—the emotional
response from the reader.

To recap, tone is how something is presented and

mood is how that presentation makes the reader
feel.

Together, the two create a cause-and-effect

emotional reaction in the reader.
 Tone and Mood
Identifying Tone and Mood
Below is an example of an atmosphere created by a text.

It was dark when the sun rose. The bed creaked as I shifted to my side. The crack of
my neck was loud against the room, which was still and sterile. He used to be there,
in the spot beside me with a matted dent in the pillow. The sheets were still
crumpled in the way he left them. I sighed. It was time to forget.

The above text says:

“It was dark when the sun rose.”

Tone:
The author’s word choice does not focus on the brightness the sun brings, but instead
emphasizes the surrounding darkness, now obstructed by the coming sunrise.
Mood:
The connotation of darkness creates a solemn mood.
This description shows that this is a gloomy, negative scene.

“The bed creaked”

Tone:
The word “creaked” is a negative one, which implies aging, weakness, and a lack of structure.
Mood:
This negative word builds upon the previous sentiment of unease and negativity.

The room is “still and sterile.”

Tone:
Still: this word is often positive. It can imply a
calmness, but paired with “sterile,” the tone is
negative.
Sterile: sterile has the association of a hospital. It is
negative and ominous.
Mood:
Together, “still” and “sterile” work in conjunction to
conjure a sense of emptiness in the reader.
One can feel that in this dark, solemn room, the
subject is alone.
 Tone and Mood
Using Tone and Mood in your Own Writing
When you’re writing, consider the associations people have with certain words.
As we covered in the previous lesson, it is rare that someone conceptualizes a
word by its denotation. When crafting a mood, consider each word’s connotation.
Then, think about how each sentence works together to contribute to that feeling.

Keeping a Consistent Tone and Mood

Think about what you’re trying to express to the reader, and remember that not all details are
relevant.

In the example below, the author tells the reader about missing her grandmother, who is
described as nurturing and loving. Some details are unlike the others and do not contribute to a
consistent picture of the grandmother:

My grandmother has a soft smile that spreads across her face when she sees me.
When I was growing up, she would take me into her arms, which were soft and
saggy, and gently push back the hair from my face. Her fingers were tender, her
fingernails gnarly. I miss my grandma and am happy that I get to visit her again this
summer.

The mood of this piece is confusing, because the tone is inconsistent.

Positive Tone Words & Phrases:
“soft smile,” arms that were “soft,” fingers that were “tender,” “gently,” “happy”
All of these phrases work to build a picture of a loving, nurturing grandmother that the
narrator loves.

Negative Tone Words and Phrases:

“saggy,” “gnarly” fingernails
These two phrases are out of place and
disrupt the positive flow of the paragraph.

Some details, even if they’re true, work against

the purpose of the piece. When writing or
identifying tone, think carefully about
what details to include, how you phrase
them, and how these two factors
contribute to the reader’s mood.