Author’s Tone
CCPS /
What is an
author’s
tone?
Tone
What is an
author’s
tone?
indicates the 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
Examples of Tone • 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Cautious
Humorous
Affectionate
Hostile
Critical
Objective
Personal
Violent
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Solemn / Serious
Sarcastic
Disapproving
Enthusiastic
Desperate
Pleading
Indifferent
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.
An 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 Authors’ Tones…
PRACTICE
Fold notebook paper into a modified (holes showing) hotdog
Fold again as a hotdog
Trace vertical folds
Write headings across top of each column
CARD #
Author’s TONE
inspires ATMOSPHERE
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 f
an
o
s
d
e
r
i
o
p
o
s
m
n
i
a
e
n the raid
to
o
“The girl rememberedulittle
from
t
s
d
er
s
a
d
e
a
o
l
i
e
r
r
s
e
hi
se she dhad
h
T
t
s
’
.
r
at Okeadan
in
which
been
y
n
i
o
g
e
th
n
g
u
i
r
a
a
r
a
t
s
c
i
of her parents
Th
nd had
e
captured.
She
knew
r
a
e
,
y
h
h
p
.
at
os
e
p
g
m
t
m
a
y
a
s
s had no
swhat had
been killed.
She
idea
,
a
s
p
s
s
e
i
n
h
t
d
a
g
s
n
i
d brothers and sisters.
happened rto
aher
e
n
e
whof
Much
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
PRACTICE
1.  Fold a piece of notebook paper into a
(modified) hotdog
2. Fold original hotdog into a narrower hotdog
3. Draw lines to trace vertical folds
creating 4 columns
4. Write following words as headers at top of each
column
CARD #
Author’s TONE
Creates TYPE of ATMOSHERE
MOOD inspired in Reader
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 ly
t
h
g
“Just look at the Titanic. The captain
said,
i
l
s
a
s
eThen, on
r
i
p
‘Even God can’t sink thiseship.’
the
s
.
n
y
i
d
e
n
g
o
a
t
r
t
c
f
i
t the Atlantic
first voyage across
boom,
o Ocean,
s
e
a
t
i
c
.
r
p
d as a
a and esank.
s
s
o
n
o
i
s
’
r
m
it hit u
an
iceberg
And
as
soon
r
o
l
e
h
a
t
h
c
i
p
a
n
s
y ‘piece of cake’
o the words
c
his
m
t
a
Tdaredevil
utters
a
n
i
s
r
u
e
o
r
d
a a stunt, he is doomed.
e
r
umo attempting
e
hbefore
h
t
s
t
u
p
‘Piece
This 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 a
s
e
r
i
p
s
n
i
e
l
n
u
f
o
y
t
a
l
s
p
u
o
a
r
o
o
t
s in one piece,
um he was
d
h
a
“Whenuhe
realized
still
s
e
’
l
r
o
e
is
h
h
h
t
t
T
s
.
a
p
e
l
s
r
i
e
e
h
h
h
T
o
p
he knew tthat
he must
be
s
lleast
e
os at thervery
a
h
t
t
m
I
t
(
a
u
.
c
o
i
e
b
d
m
a
a
o
c
re peering out of
re with hisd face
completely
flat,
a
e
c
h
t
n
n
i
a
d
h
t
o
i
o
wand his brains leaking out
y
f
i
hismown
bottom
t
n
e
d
i
r
e
d
a
e
r
).”
.
of his ears.
.
s
r
e
t
c
a
r
a
h
Toad Heaven p. 64
c
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 s
u
o
i
r
e
as
s
e
r
i
pcenter of ethe
s
n
ws storm had
i
“By nightfall on Monday,
the
e
n
n
s
o
a
lt
h
a
c
n
u
o
s
s
(
erand icy fwinds
barely moved,
force
p
ion of hurricane
t
m
c
i
e
i
b
s
’
n
t
r
h up to Nova
oacross an
no from Virginia
g
h
i
f
t
o
u
m
l
a
swept
area
e
a
c
ic
e
i
p
This
y
p
t
s
,
i
e
rCanada.
thwind was. so powerful that in
e
r
h
o
f
p
Scotia,
The
s
d
ic
m
oo
e
atmo
m
d
a
e
h
aclocal train station had its roof
TNew
r
.
Liberty,
York,
the
)
o
s
t
s
r
iou
d
repo
u
t
s
d
e
entirely
ripped
off …”
r
e
d
i
s
con
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-ItQuick 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 ,
e
v
i
t
c
a
n
a
s
e
“ . . . the next minute, Winn-Dixie
looked
like a
pir
e
s
c
n
i
n
e
e
n
lu
f
o
n
t
i
c
i
o
t
t
furry bullet,ushooting
across
ias
es the building,
ng
s
i
p
t
o
a
h
h
t
p
i
r
n
thoHe wasdbarking
ntic and his
’s e that mouse.
u
r
a
a
o
,
chasing
h
e
t
o
h
u
o
a
T
.
s
m
i
e
r
h
d
T
heskidding
iteover the polished Pick-Itp
c
s
x
feet
were
all
o
e
an
atm
n
y
i
l
e
e
v
li
o b and people were clapping and
t
s
Quick
floor,
r
e
ad
e
r
e
th hollering
. and pointing. They really went wild
n
o
i
t
c
ea
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 t
n
e
l
o
i
v
a
s
e
ir
p
s
to
n
i
g
n
e
i
n
p
o
o
t
h
y
e
r
b
g
n
y
a
a
e
s
’
m
h
r
t
r
o
o
n
h
i
h
t
t malevolently.
u “Dana grinned
d His teeth
u
were
a
a
.
o
y
s
o
i
r
e
h
o
h
m
t
T
s
y
.T
s
e
e
a
r
h
t
e
e
n
h
nubby and
yellow,
like ian
old
in barn dog’s.
u
p
s
s
d
t
o
c
n
l
a
m
f
n
e
at
o
s
c
n
e
e
t
Kneeling on
Roy’s
h chest, he hauled back
t
a
g
e
r
n
i
i
iz
s
insp
a
h
p
tomhit him again.”
e
,
r
reade
Hoot
p. 184
“We’d gone a quarter mile
down the trail when we ran
into a man walking the wrong
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
Disapproving “We’d gone a quarter mile
Disapproving down the trail when we ran
into a man walking the wrong
a
p
u
ts
e
s
e
way. He had a pack on his
n
o
t
g
n
i
a
o
t
back – a full, towering,sapprov
g
n
s
i
p
d
i
l
a
d
e
e
h
l
s
’
o
or – and hephere,
s
l
h
overstuffed
pack
t
a
u
t
I
a
.
s
r
is
o
e
s
t
h
d
m
n
T
t
a
e
a
e
r
m
e His n the
was sweatingtithard.
h
v
i
s
i
l
p
e
i
p
m
d
o
m
o
c
o
c
o
c
a
breath soundedtlike
ma
e
l
h
a
t
n
e
t
e
a
i
m
c
g
e
d
r
bellows.
I
stepped
aside
to
p
ju
p
a
r
e
dstared.
a
e
r
.
let himth
pass.
I
Ieknew
s
e
r
t
c
a
r
a
h
c
that he was
one of the ones
of the
who hadn’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
For a little while I’m not afraid. Maybe it’s because
said
Faber.
feel. .I’m
I’myears,”
doing the
right
thing at“Ilast..
. “ doing
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 re Faber. “I
e
h
p
“I feel alive for the first time in years,”
said
s
o
m
t
a
n
a done a lifetime
r
o
o
t
h
feel I’m doing what I should’ve
ago.
t
s
u
d
a
a
e
e
l
“I feel alive for
the
first
time
in
h
T
nenot afraid.
.
o
n
t
o
l
i
t
gbecause
For a little rwhile
I’m
Maybe
it’s
a
a
n
l
i
n
r
e
o
a
v
s
h
e
r “I feelanI’m
s doing
pethe
years,”
said
Faber.
d
d
s
n
’
r
a
o
I’m
doing
right
thing
at
last..
.
.
.
“
y
n
t
h
re
i
t
o
l
i
a
u
a
s
c
i
a
t
s
d
n
e
s
n ago.
e a lifetime
pr
a
d
i
x
Thi
f
d
e
n
what
I
should’ve
done
n
l
o
a
a
st Fahrenheit 451 p. 131
fc
r
on
o
i
e
t
d
o
d
n
o
m
u
o not
mo whileem
t
of e Forseat alittle
I’m
afraid.
h
t
o
g
t
n
lpi
e
h
hopesMaybe
,
s
I’m
doing
the
der it’s because
a
e
.
r
rs
e
t
c
a
in therightcthing
r
ha
at last . . .”
e
h
t
t
abou
Fahrenheit 451 p. 131
Grieving Corny
It sounds clichéd
But at times like this,
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
Grieving Corny
It sounds clichéd
But at times like this,
I miss my dad.
I mean,
I don’t remember him –
s.
m
e
o
rp
i
he died of cancer when I was three.
e
h
t
in
st
e
”
s
p
l
e
u
Pictures
e
d
r
r so
i
e
e
h
re
h
e
t
s
l
h
are all that’s left.“bare
a
p
e
s
o
ev
r
m
t
n
e
a
e
t
n
f
My favorite
one
is
n
o
a
to
f
s
o
g
g
t
n
n
e
i
d
i
t
o
v
o
a
P
rie eating
us sitting
on ta’sbench,
ice
recream. s a mo
c
g
,
r
e
e knobby rthe
thsame way,
oare
re
i
a
p
f
p
Our knees
s
s
i
e
n
i
h
T
ut hlike hyenas,
his
o
T
b
.
we’re both ggrinning
a
g
s
in
s.
r
g
e
n
n
i
l
d
o
l
e
a
d
he’s pointing
at sthe
fe
ancamera.
the re
s
in
e
n
g
d
n
i
a
r
s
a
ctwelve years.
of had a dad
d
n
I haven’t
in
a
thy
a
p
m
Most ofsythe 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
,
l
a
n
o
ers
p
m
i
A maid cleans.
n
a
s
e
t
an
re a
c
s
A crew cuts the lawn.
e
e
s
n
au
to
c
t
s
n
i
e
h
r
fe delivered.
Even the groceries
ws
.T
fget
i
o
e
l
d
r
l
n
e
a
i
h
t
p
t’sis home, for
.I
s
r
e
o
e
o
d
m
p
t
Jordan’s
dad
once,
a
a
e
re
g
h
t
e
n
This
i
h
r
n
t
i
a
r
e
nc his head ood in
k
ulifts
but he barely
a
y
e
l
p
b
i
s
m
ss
e
y
t
o
h
t
p
p
y
m
from his laptop
toemeet me. d wh
y
l
l
a
n
n
a
t
o
i
s
t
r
o
e
His eyes
em
nd
u
o
t
d.
e
der
s
a
s
e
flicker
in
surprise,
e
r
pr
e
the
d
e
yb
a
but he slams
m
poem
his attention back to the screen
and coughs to dismiss us.
Reaching for Sun, Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Examples of Tone • 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Cautious
Humorous
Affectionate
Hostile
Critical
Objective
Personal
Violent
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Solemn / Serious
Sarcastic
Disapproving
Enthusiastic
Desperate
Pleading
Indifferent
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.
Created at www.bibme.org