Author’s Tone

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
ir e s an o d o f
e in s p a m o
u s to n the raid a d s to d e r
“The girl remembered
s erio little from
h is l e e re a
h r ’s
oin whichrashe e y . T
dhad been g in th
at Okeadan
a u t ft g ca r in
T his re o
e knewaher , a n d
captured.
o s p hShe p t h yparents had
e .
a tm , y m
s had no a s a g
swhat had
e
been killed. s s She is p
idea
s a dn in g t h
d brothers and sisters.
aher
happened n r e
to
whe
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 htly
e s a s
‘Even God can’t sink thiseship.’ i n s pir Then,dyon . the
c to n tra g e
first voyage across c a sti the Atlantic
i t e o f Ocean, . boom,
’s sa r i n s p o o d as a
it hit u
anth or
iceberg and
ph e r esank. Andi c a l m
as soon
his a
Tdaredevil tm
utters s
o the words a c n
y ‘piece of cake’
ro u s a d e r i n
umo attempting
hbefore ts t h e re a a stunt, he is doomed.
u
This p of cake’ becomes his ‘famous last
‘Piece
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
i r e s a
e i n s p l
s t o n p l a y f u
o r o u t o a
“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 l p s
Thknew that
he o s pat s o h he must
h e be
i c a t m e r. ( I t o u t t
co m
completely a d
re with hisd face
flat, a b
re peering out of
in t h e n c a
o o d w i t h a
hismown bottom i d e n t i f y and his brains leaking out
a d e r
re ears. r.s.).”
of his
a r a c te
ch 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 iou s
ir es as
“By nightfall on Monday, ethei ns pcenter of e w
the s storm had
l to n h a s n
on a s u c
barely moved, im p s icy winds
erand f ic t io n ( of hurricane
b e force
t h r ’s
oacross f n o n ig ht
au
swept an
a l oarea from m
Virginia
e up to Nova
This r e , t y pic
t his p ie c
h e
p Canada.
Scotia, f or
atmos m o odThe wind e mwas
ic . so powerful that in
ad train station had its roof
Liberty,) . T h
New e York, othe r a clocal
ts s
repor d d io
stu off …”
u
entirely
side 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 ing
o
chasingr ’s e that mouse. a u t hoHe was barking , a n tic 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
a tm were
o s an ex all
e ly
liv Quick e in
b and people were clapping and
r s t o
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
i n s p ire g t o
t o ne h o p i n
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 s y m h e s
s p h enubby d u n e like an t s i
oldn t
barn dog’s.
at m o s e a n o n f l i c
a t e n
Kneeling ongRoy’s
t h c
e chest, he hauled back
i r e zi n
in s p tomhitp h a s i
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
i n g t
back – a full, towering,sapprov in g t o a
p s
’s d i
r – and he here, l e a d o h e l
overstuffed u t h
pack o I t a l s
T h is a a t m o s p
e a d e r.
e n ts
was sweatingtihard. t iv e His t h e r l i s h m
m p e o d i n c o m p
breathcosounded tlike
a lm a o
t h e a c
g m e n c i a t e
j
bellows. u d I stepped pp
aside
a r eto
e a e r
dstared. I knew
he
let himtpass. r I t e r s .
h a c
ra ones
c
of t he
that he was one 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
I’myears,” said
doing the Faber.
right thing at“Ilast..
feel. I’m
. . “ doing
what I should’ve done a lifetime ago. 451 p.
Fahrenheit
131 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 hin
e a
For a little while a l t o
I’m nenot afraid. a t io n . T
Maybe it’sn gbecause
r s o n e v e l s ha r i
I’m years,”
o r
doing ’s pethe saidright Faber.
n a nd r at“Ilast..
thing feelt y a. nI’m
. d. “ doing 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 ion o o d o u n d e r s Fahrenheit 451 p.
of e 131 For s e at a m
little while t he m I’m t o not afraid.
t o lpi n g
hopesMaybe s, h e
der it’s because I’m doing the
e r e a r s .
in th rightcthing a r a c te
t h e h at last . . .”
abou t
Fahrenheit 451
p. 131
Corny
It sounds clichéd
Grieving
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
Corny
It sounds clichéd
Grieving
But at times like this,
I miss my dad.
I mean,
I don’t remember him – o e m s.
t he irp
he died of cancer when I was three.
u ls ” in e e pe st
Pictures
t h e ir so ls he r d
here
are all that’s left. “ba r e r ev e a m os p
f t e n
o one is ving to n e a n a t f
My favorite
o e t s at i n g o d o
P
us sitting on ta’s g rie eating
bench, e r, c
ice recream. s a mo
h is poe e r f a th in s p ire
Our knees
T are knobby
a b o ut h the same g . T hway,
is
we’re both
e lin g s
grinning like
lo n g in
hyenas, a d e r s.
fe
he’s pointing at s a
the d
ncamera. t h e re
ne s ng in
of sad and c ar i
I haven’t m
had
p h y
ata dad in twelve years.
y
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 iffe
get delivered.
e r e .T ll o w s
e i
t’sis home, fortmonce, o sp h e r. It a
Jordan’s
his p o
dad
g a re ad he
T a r in t he er in t
but he barely
bly u nc his head ood in
lifts
pe a k
from ssilaptop to meet
pohis m p t y m
me. y t he s
a ll y e nd w h
o n sta
emoti
His eyes
t o un d e r
.
d e
flicker in rsurprise,
e a r ss ed
t he d e p re
but he slams ay b e
oe m m
p
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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