How do language, tone and voice impact the effect on a reader in prose?

Language, tone and voice are the three fundamental pillars to sustain an instigating,
exiting and reflexive interaction between reader and text. The classic “Alice in
Wonderland” will response to these three elements throughout this essay.
Language has the ability to persuade the reader to vividly imagine the universe of the
narrative, regardless of its fictional content. This occurs through immersive descriptions
of situations, characters, settings, and elements that compose the story. Author Gabriel
García Márquez quotes that “a novelist can do whatever he wants, as long as he makes
people believe in it”[1], That is, the descriptions must sound convincing enough to
immerse our imagination in the world created by the author. In addition, the non-verbal
language, that is, the illustrations presented in the work, make the characters more
expressive, highlight the elements even more, and make reader's experience more
playful[2]. In general terms, language convinces the reader to experience reading
imaginatively.
For effective imagination, Marquez's statement must be combined with the concept of
“transparent writing”, coined by George Orwell, which emphasizes the importance of
using words clearly and fluidly, free from confusing meanings, as this hinders reader's
comprehension[3]. This is crucial to maintain the clarity of imagination and the reader's
interest throughout the story, and consequently, to reach a wider audience. It is not
without reason that, when released, that is, before it was conceptualized as a global
canon, Carroll's work quickly gained popularity, becoming the most popular book in
England[4].
An artifice that infuses emotional weight in words is tone - defined by Judith Roof, as
the reading voice we imagine hearing internally when we read a text[5]. Tone induces
alterations in the reader's internal vocal intonation based on the emotion being conveyed
by characters or thoughts within a given context. In the dialogue Alice has with herself -
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, a great girl like you, to go on crying in this way!

_______________________
[1] Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. “The art of fiction No.69”. Interviwed by Peter Stone. The
Paris Review. 1981. [https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/3196/the-art-of-fiction-
no-69-gabriel-garcia-marquez last accessed: 27th August 2023]
[2] Harvard University. “Use Images and Media to Enhance Understanding”, Harvard
University [no date], [https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/use-images-and-media-
enhance-understanding last accessed: 27 August 2023]
[3] Orwell, George. Why I Write. New York: Penguin Books, 2005
[4] Lowne, Cathy and Bauer, Pat. “Alice in Wonderland”. Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 12 Oct 2018. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Alices-
Adventures-in-Wonderland last accessed: 27th August 2023]
[5] Roof, Judith and Figlerowicz, Marta. Tone: Writing and the sound of the feeling.
Oxford University Press, vol 34, no.2 (2022): 816-818
Stop this moment, I tell you!"[6] - a tone of indignation is discernible. The tonal quality
departs from its constant state as we identify Alice's emotional shift. In addition, tone is
a key factor for the reader to empathically analyze story situations. This sense of
empathy is deepened with the voice.
Voice establishes a sense of familiarity between the reader and the narrative. It is linked
to our assimilation of certain consistent behaviors of specific characters. We perceive
Alice as a determined and curious girl; the Mad Hatter, as a jocular figure; the Cheshire
Cat, as mysterious and untrustworthy. In this manner, voice contributes to the reader's
ability to anticipate actions and form connections with characters.
In conclusion, language, tone, and voice promote reader's imaginative, emotional, and
cognitive engagement in prose. This happens due to the ability of these elements to
create fictional worlds that, in many aspects, resemble the world we live in, and
therefore we are interested in interacting with the story[7]. As a result, an experience is
solidified that transcends the words on the paper.

_______________________
[6] Carroll, Lewis. “Chapter two: The Pool of Tears”. Alice In Wonderland. London:
MacMillan and Co., 1869: p. 17
[http://dbooks.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/books/PDFs/590306858.pdf]
[7] Johansen, Jørgen Dines. “Feelings in Literature”, National Library of Medicine. 17
feb 2010. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2905520/# last accessed:
27th August 2023]
Bibliography
Carroll, Lewis. Alice in Wonderland. London: MacMillan and Co., 1869
[http://dbooks.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/books/PDFs/590306858.pdf]
Carroll, Lewis. “Chapter two: The Pool of Tears”. Alice In Wonderland.
[http://dbooks.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/books/PDFs/590306858.pdf]
Glatch, Sean. “What is tone in literature”. Writers.com. Writers.com. 22 Sep 2022.[
https://writers.com/what-is-tone-in-literature last accessed: 29 August 2023]
Johansen, Jørgen Dines. “Feelings in Literature”, National Library of Medicine. 17 feb
2010. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2905520/# last accessed: 27th
August 2023]

Lowne, Cathy and Bauer, Pat. “Alice in Wonderland”. Encyclopædia Britannica,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 12 Oct 2018. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/Alices-
Adventures-in-Wonderland last accessed: 27th August 2023]

Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. “The art of fiction No.69”. Interviwed by Peter Stone. The
Paris Review. 1981. [https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/3196/the-art-of-fiction-
no-69-gabriel-garcia-marquez last accessed: 27th August 2023]

Orwell, George. Why I Write. New York: Penguin Books, 2005

Roof, Judith and Figlerowicz, Marta. Tone: Writing and the sound of the feeling.
Oxford University Press, vol 34, no.2 (2022): 816-818
Simas-Almeida, Leonor. “Literature and Emotions: The Hermeneutical Function of The
Affects”. Coimbra: Portugal. Coimbra University Press, 2019
18f Content Guide. “Voice and Tone”. 18f Content Guide. United States Government.
No date. [https://content-guide.18f.gov/our-style/voice-and-tone/#the-difference-
between-voice-and-tone last access: 29 August 2023]
Harvard University. “Use Images and Media to Enhance Understanding”, Harvard
University [no date], [https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/use-images-and-media-
enhance-understanding last accessed: 27 August 2023]