What is an

author’s
tone?
What is an
author’s
Tone indicates the
tone? writer’s attitude. Often
an author's tone is
described by adjectives,
such as: cynical,
depressed, sympathetic,
cheerful, outraged,
positive, angry,
sarcastic, prayerful,
ironic, solemn,
vindictive, intense,
excited.
Tone is not an action.
It is an attitude.
 Real-life Example
You can say the same phrase in different
ways, each showing a different attitude
or tone.
Try saying, “Come here, Sally” using the
following tones:
• Commanding or bossy
• Secretive
• Loving
• Angry
• Excited
• Playful
Tone is not explained
or expressed directly.
 A reader must
“read between the lines”
to feel the author’s attitude
and identify the tone.
Tone is different than “Mood.”
Tone is the author’s own attitude
toward the subject.

Mood is the emotion the author

wanted the readers to feel while
reading about the subject.
 An author’s tone
influences the story’s
mood and atmosphere.
 Author’s Tone

leads to

Story’s Atmosphere
& Mood
 Example:
An author writes a horror story
using a serious and sinister tone.

That tone helps create a scary

atmosphere and a nervous,
frightened mood for the readers.
 Another Example:
An author writes a satire, making
fun of a horror story using a
playful or sarcastic tone.

That playful tone helps create a

humorous mood for the readers.
 Literary Examples
of Author’s Tones…
 Serious / Solemn

“The girl remembered little from the raid

at Okeadan in which she had been
captured. She knew her parents had
been killed. She had no idea what had
happened to her brothers and sisters.
Much of what she had experienced had
been so horrible that she had simply
shut it out of her mind. . . .”
At Her Majesty’s Request p. 17
 Serious / Solemn
ire s an o d o f
e in s p a m o
u s t o n the raid a d s to d e r
“The girl remembered
s er i o little from
h i s le e re a
h r ’s
oin whichrashe . T
y been ring i
dhad n th
at Okeadan
is a u t t g e c a
T h e o f
r knew her a n d
captured.
o s p h e
She a t h y ,
parents had
.
a tm y m
s had nop s a g e
swhat had
e
been killed. s s ,
She is p
idea a
s a dn in g t h
d brothers and sisters.
aher
happened n r e
to
w he
Much of what she had experienced had
been so horrible that she had simply
shut it out of her mind. . . .”
At Her Majesty’s Request p. 17
 Sarcastic
“Just look at the Titanic. The captain said,
‘Even God can’t sink this ship.’ Then, on the
first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, boom,
it hit an iceberg and sank. And as soon as a
daredevil utters the words ‘piece of cake’
before attempting a stunt, he is doomed.
‘Piece of cake’ becomes his ‘famous last
words.’ …”
My Brother’s Arm p. 111-2
 Sarcastic
“Just look at the Titanic. The captain i
said,
l g ht ly
s a s
‘Even God can’t sink thiseship.’ i n s pireThen,dyon . the
c to n tr ag e
first voyage across c a s t i the Atlantic
i t e o f Ocean, . boom,
’ s sa r i n s p o o d
it hit uan th r
iceberg
o and
p h e r esank. And i c al m
as soon as a
Th i s a
daredevil tm
utters o s the words a cy n‘piece of cake’
ro u s a d e r i n
u m
hbefore o attemptinge r e a a stunt, he is doomed.
u ts t h
i
‘Piece
Th s p of cake’ becomes his ‘famous last
words.’ …”
My Brother’s Arm p. 111-2
 Humorous

“When he realized he was still in one piece,

he knew that at the very least he must be
completely flat, with his face peering out of
his own bottom and his brains leaking out
of his ears. . . .”
Toad Heaven p. 64
 Humorous
ir e s a
e in sp l
t o n l a y f u
o r o us t o a p
“When he ’ s h
realized u m he was l e a d s
still in one piece,
u t h o r T h i s th e
i s a r e .
hethe veryalleast e lp s
Thknew that
he o s p
at t s o h he must
h e be
i c a t m e r . ( I o u t t
co m
completely flat, a d
re with hisd face a b
re peering out of
in t h e n c a
o o d it h a
wand his brains leaking out
hismown bottom id e n t if y
a d e r
re
of his ears. r.s . ).”
a r a c t e
c h Toad Heaven p. 64
 Objective / Impersonal

“By nightfall on Monday, the center of the storm had

barely moved, and icy winds of hurricane force
swept across an area from Virginia up to Nova
Scotia, Canada. The wind was so powerful that in
Liberty, New York, the local train station had its roof
entirely ripped off …”
Blizzard p . 56
 Objective / Impersonal

e r io us
ir es as
“By nightfall on Monday, e thein s pcenter of ethe w s storm had
l to n h a s n
o n a
s icy winds s u c
( of hurricane force
barely moved, im p erand f ic t io n b e
h o r ’s f n o n ig h t
h is a
sweptut across p ic an
a l oarea from i ec m
Virginia
e up to Nova
T r e , t y t h is p
h e
p Canada.
Scotia, f o r
atmos m o odThe wind e
was
m ic . so powerful that in
ad train station had its roof
Liberty, ) . T h
Newe York, othe r a c local
ts s
repor d d io
stu off …”
u
entirely
s ide r eripped
c on
Blizzard p . 56
 Enthusiastic

“ . . . the next minute, Winn-Dixie looked like a

furry bullet, shooting across the building,
chasing that mouse. He was barking and his
feet were skidding all over the polished Pick-It-
Quick floor, and people were clapping and
hollering and pointing. They really went wild
when Winn-Dixie actually caught the mouse.”
Because of Winn-Dixie p. 36
 Enthusiastic
c t iv e ,
s a n a
“ . . . the next minute, Winn-Dixie n s pir e looked c e like a
o ne i f lu e n
furry bullet,ushooting s t ic t across t o in
s the building,
nt h s ia
r h op e ip a t i ng
o
chasingr ’s e that mouse. a u t h oHe was barking , a ntic and his
s a ut h . T he m o o d
T h i p r e
he skidding c d
iteover the polished Pick-It-
feet
tm o s
were an e xall
e ly a e in
liv Quick r s t o b and people were clapping and
floor,
e r eade
th hollering ion. and pointing. They really went wild
e ac t
morwhen Winn-Dixie actually caught the mouse.”
Because of Winn-Dixie p. 36
 Hostile / Angry

“Dana grinned malevolently. His teeth were

nubby and yellow, like an old barn dog’s.
Kneeling on Roy’s chest, he hauled back
to hit him again.”
Hoot p. 184
 Hostile / Angry
i o l e n t
s a v
in s p ir e g t o
t o ne h o p in
a ng r y a y b e
h o r ’ s o r m i n t h e
i s a u t“Dana grinned e a u thmalevolently. o o d His teethtowere r y .
T h r e T h
. and yellow, a y m
s like an old h e s
s p h enubby d u n e t s in t
barn dog’s.
atm o s e a n o n f l ic
a t e n
Kneeling on t
Roy’s c
he chest, he hauled back
ir e z i n g
insp tomhit h a s i
p him again.”
d e r , e
r e a Hoot p. 184
“We’d gone a quarter mile
down the trail when we ran
into a man walking the wrong
Disapproving
way. He had a pack on his
back – a full, towering,
overstuffed pack – and he
was sweating hard. His
breath sounded like a
bellows. I stepped aside to let
him pass. I stared. I knew
that he was one of the ones
who hadn’t made it, who’d
quit right there at
the start.”
Halfway to the Sky p. 32
“We’d gone a quarter mile
down the trail when we ran
into a man walking the wrong
Disapproving a
e t s u p
way. He had a pack on his o n e s
n g t
back – a full, towering, approvi in g t o a
s
’ s d is
r– and he here, l e a d h e l p
overstuffed upack t h o I t a ls o
T h i sa a t m o s p
e a d e r .
e n ts
was sweating hard.
t i tiv e His
t he r li s h m
m pe o d i n c o m p
breathcosounded like
t a lm a o
t h e a c
g m e n c ia t e
bellows.
ju dI stepped aside
a pp r e
to let
e e r
ad I knewrs.
him pass.e Irstared.
th a r a c t e
that he was one
h e c h
of the ones
who hadn’tof t made it, who’d
quit right there at
the start.”
Halfway to the Sky p. 32
 PERSONAL
Personal
“I feel alive for the first time in years,” said Faber. “I
feel I’m doing what I should’ve done a lifetime ago.
“I feel alive for the first time in year
For a little while I’m not afraid. Maybe it’s because
I’ms,” said
doing Faber.
the “I feel
right thing I’m .doing
at last.. ..“
what I should’ve done a lifetime ago.451 p. 131
Fahrenheit
For a little while I’m not afraid.
Maybe it’s because I’m doing the
right thing at last . . .”
Fahrenheit 451 p. 131
 PERSONAL
Personal r e Faber. “I
“I feel alive for the first time in years,” os ph e
said
a t m
andone aulifetime
feel I’m doing what I should’ve d s t o t h o r ago.
“I feel alive for the le a first time in
he ayear
For a little while a l t o
I’m nenot afraid. a t io n . T
Maybe it’sngbecause
r s o n e v el s ha r i
I’m s,” o r
doing said
’ s pethe Faber.
right n a nd“Ir feel
thing at I’m
last.. t y a. doing
n.d. “ re
au t h e s s io n t ia l i d c a
This what a l eI x pr
should’ve fc o n f id
done e a lifetime
t a n d an ago.
m ot i on o o d o u n d e r s Fahrenheit 451 p. 131
of e For s e at a m
little while t he m I’m t o not afraid.
t o pi n g
hopesMaybe , h e
ders it’s because
l
I’m doing the
r e a r s .
in therightcthing h a r a c te
at last . . .”
t t h e
abou Fahrenheit 451 p. 131
Corny
It sounds clichéd
But at times like this,
Grieving
I miss my dad.
I mean,
I don’t remember him –
he died of cancer when I was three.
Pictures
are all that’s left.
My favorite one is
us sitting on a bench, eating ice cream.
Our knees are knobby the same way,
we’re both grinning like hyenas,
he’s pointing at the camera.
I haven’t had a dad in twelve years.
Most of the time,
that’s okay.
But today,
right now,
I’d like a hug.
From him. Shark Girl, Kelly Bingham
Corny
It sounds clichéd
But at times like this,
Grieving
I miss my dad.
I mean,
I don’t remember him – o e m s.
he died of cancer when I was three. t he irp
u l s ” in e e p est
Pictures
t h e i r so ls he r d
h ere
are all that’s left.“bare r ev e a t m o s p
My favorite f t e n
o one is ving to ne a n a f
o e t s a t in g o d o
P
us sitting on ta’s g rie eating
bench, e r ,
icec recream. s a mo
is p e
oare r f a thsame way, s p ire
Our knees
T h knobby
u th e the h is in
we’re both s a
grinning b o like ing
hyenas, . T s.
e l in g lo n g a d e r
fe
he’s pointing atssthe d
ancamera. t h e re
ad n e r ing in
of s n c a
din twelve years.
I haven’t had at a
h y a
dad
y m p
Most ofs the time,
that’s okay.
But today,
right now,
I’d like a hug.
From him. Shark Girl, Kelly Bingham
 Indifferent
Flicker
A maid cleans.
A crew cuts the lawn.
Even the groceries get delivered.
Jordan’s dad is home, for once,
but he barely lifts his head
from his laptop to meet me.
His eyes
flicker in surprise,
but he slams
his attention back to the screen
and coughs to dismiss us.

Reaching for Sun,

Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
 Indifferent
Flicker
on a l,
A maid cleans. im p ers
t e s a n
A crew cuts the lawn. n e c rea s e s an
r e n t to h is c au
Even the groceries n d i fe delivered.
fget e r e .T ll o w s
e i
t’sis home, for o s p h r . It a
Jordan’s p odad a t m once, ad e
This a r in g
nc his head ood in t he re
er in t he
but he barely
b l y ulifts p e a k
po ssi m p t y m
y t he s
from his laptop a ll ytoemeet me. d wh
o t i o n e r s t an
em
His eyes
t o und .
e a d e r s s ed
t e rsurprise,be depre
flickerhin
but he slams m a y
p oem
his attention back to the screen
and coughs to dismiss us.

Reaching for Sun, Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

 Examples of Tone
• Cautious • Solemn / Serious
• Humorous • Sarcastic
• Affectionate • Disapproving
• Hostile • Enthusiastic
• Critical • Desperate
• Objective • Pleading
• Personal
• Indifferent
• Violent
The next time you read a passage,
try to identify the author’s tone.
It will help you
“get the message”
of the text.
 Works Cited
Bingham, Kelly. Shark Girl. Boston: Candlewick, 2010. Print.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster,
1967. Print.
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. Halfway to the Sky. New York:
Yearling Press, 2003. Print.
Dicamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. New York: Candlewick
Press, 2000. Print.
Gleitzman, Morris. Toad Heaven. New York: Yearling Press, 2006.
Print.
Hiaasen, Carl. Hoot. New York: Yearling Press, 2006. Print.
Lehmann, L. R. Blizzard. Salt Lake City, Utah: Quikread Press, 1997.
Print.
Myers, Walter Dean. At Her Majesty's Request: An African Princess
in Victorian England. New York: Scholastic Press, 1999. Print
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn. Reaching for Sun. New York: Bloomsbury
Children's, Distributed to the trade by Holtzbrinck, 2007. Print.

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