5 Effective Tips to Describe the Tone Used in Both Excerpts

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 11 July 2023 6 min read

If you've ever wondered, "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts?" you're not alone. Many people find identifying tone in literature a bit tricky. But, don't worry—you're about to understand it thoroughly. In this blog, we'll break it down into five easy steps, starting with defining the tone.

1. Define the Tone

Before you can identify tone in any piece of writing, you must first understand what "tone" means in a literary sense. Simply put, it's the writer's attitude towards the subject or the audience. Now let's dive into the three substeps that can help you grasp the concept of tone, analyze tone examples, and practice identifying it.

Grasp the Concept

Understanding the concept of tone is like learning a new language. It might seem daunting at first, but it becomes easier with practice. Here are a few pointers:

Emotional Quality: Tone often expresses an emotional quality—be it happiness, sadness, anger, or sarcasm.
Writer's Attitude: Remember, tone reflects the writer's attitude. Is the writer passionate, indifferent, or perhaps skeptical?
Not Always Stated: Just like a secret code, the tone isn't always clearly stated. It's often implied and requires your detective skills to figure out.

Analyze Tone Examples

Once you've grasped the concept of tone, it's time to move onto real examples. Think of it like learning to ride a bike. You've learned the theory, now it's time to practice.

Read various excerpts of literature and try to figure out the tone. Is it serious, humorous, melancholic, or optimistic? Remember, identifying the correct tone can often hinge on a single word choice. So, pay close attention to the language used.

Practice Tone Identification

Practice makes perfect, right? To master the art of tone identification, you need to practice regularly.

Here's a tip: try to identify the tone used in both excerpts of a text. This will help you understand how tone can be consistent or vary across different sections of the same work. Keep asking yourself, "Which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts?" The more you ask and answer this question, the better you'll become at tone identification.

2. Identify Tone Shifts

Now that you've nailed down what tone is, let's talk about tone shifts. Just like the weather, a writer's tone can change without warning. Identifying these shifts is key to understanding the overall mood and message of the text. Let's explore how to observe text transitions, note tone variations, and interpret tone shifts.

Observe Text Transition

Think of a tone shift as a sudden change in music—from calm and soothing to fast and upbeat. How do you spot this change in a text? Watch for transitions. They are like a bridge that carries you from one tone to another. Look for words like "however," "in contrast," or "on the other hand," as they often signal a shift in tone.

Note Tone Variations

Being alert to tone variations is like tuning your ear to different musical notes in a symphony. Sometimes, the variation is subtle—like a whisper in a loud room. Other times, it's as stark as a thunderclap on a sunny day.

Keep an eye out for sudden changes in the writer's attitude. Does the text go from cheerful to gloomy? From serious to sarcastic? Noting these variations can help you identify tone shifts.

Interpret Tone Shifts

Interpreting tone shifts is comparable to understanding the plot twist in a movie—it can completely change how you perceive the story. Once you've spotted a tone shift, ask yourself why the author made that choice. What impact does it have on your understanding of the text? What does it reveal about the author's intent?

Remember, the question "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts?" isn't just about identifying the tone—it's also about understanding why it shifts and what that shift signifies.

3. Use Contextual Clues

Picture this: you're a literary detective, deciphering clues hidden in the text. These clues help you answer the question, "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts?" Here's how to read between the lines, analyze word choices, and connect contextual elements to crack the code.

Read Between Lines

Reading between the lines isn't about psychic powers—it's about appreciating the spaces in the text that the author leaves for you to fill. It's the art of understanding what's not directly stated. It might be an implicit message, a hidden emotion, or a veiled criticism. This skill will help you detect the tone even when it's not overtly expressed.

Analyze Word Choice

Think of words as the colors an artist uses to paint a picture. They set the mood and convey emotions. Some words are inviting and warm, some are harsh and cold. Analyzing word choice is like examining the color palette of a painting—it gives you a sense of the tone. For example, words like "celebrate" and "joy" suggest a positive tone, while words like "grief" and "dismay" convey a negative tone.

Connect Contextual Elements

Lastly, remember to connect the dots. Just as you can't appreciate a jigsaw puzzle by looking at a single piece, you can't understand the tone by focusing on a single word or phrase. Look at the broader context—how do the characters, setting, and plot interact with each other? What's the overall mood and message? This holistic approach will help you pick out the word that best describes the tone used in both excerpts.

4. Apply Literary Devices

Consider this tip the secret seasoning in your analysis recipe. Literary devices, such as imagery, similes, metaphors, and symbolism, are not just fancy tools authors use to show off. They're the key to understanding the deeper layers of the text and can help answer the question, "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts?". So, how do you use these devices to understand tone?

Leverage Imagery

To leverage imagery, observe the mental pictures the author creates. Do the images make you feel calm and peaceful, or do they stir up feelings of chaos and tension? If the author describes a sunny meadow with blooming flowers, the tone is likely to be positive. On the other hand, a dark alley filled with ominous shadows might suggest a negative or threatening tone.

Utilize Similes and Metaphors

Similes and metaphors are the author’s way of saying, “This is really important, pay attention!” They provide direct insight into the author's perspective and tone. For instance, a character described as "as unpredictable as a summer storm" might suggest a tone of unpredictability or volatility.

Use Symbolism

Finally, don't overlook symbolism—the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities. It's like a secret language that can reveal the tone. A dove often symbolizes peace, while a storm might symbolize conflict or turmoil. Spotting these symbols will aid you in determining the word that best describes the tone used in both excerpts.

5. Synthesize your Findings

Now that we've defined the tone, identified tone shifts, used contextual clues, and applied literary devices, it's time to put all those pieces together. This step is like assembling a puzzle. Don't worry if the pieces don't fit right away; sometimes, it takes a few tries to find the perfect fit. Let's dive into how to synthesize your findings and determine "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts".

Compile Tone Insights

Start by gathering all your notes and observations about the tone. Write down specific phrases or words that caught your attention, any identified shifts in tone, and the literary devices used. It's like gathering all your ingredients before you start cooking. This compilation will give you a clearer view of the overall tone.

Make Connections

Next, start making connections. How does the tone shift in relation to the plot? What emotional response does the author's word choice evoke? How do the literary devices used relate to the tone? This step is like stirring your ingredients together to make a tasty stew. Making these connections will take you one step closer to pinpointing the word that best describes the tone used in both excerpts.

Draw Conclusion

Finally, it's time to draw your conclusion. Based on your analysis, what one word would you use to describe the tone in both excerpts? Is it joyful? Melancholic? Tense? Or perhaps, it's a combination of a few? Remember, there's no right or wrong answer here—what matters is how well you can support your choice with evidence from the text. And just like that, you've answered the question, "which word best describes the tone used in both excerpts"!

If you're interested in diving deeper into understanding the tone in different creative works, we highly recommend the workshop 'Indie Film Composing: Storytelling In Music' by Daisy Coole. This workshop will not only help you understand the importance of tone in storytelling, but also explore how music can play a significant role in setting the mood and atmosphere for various creative projects.