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Whatever a text is about, its creator will have feelings towards this subject. These emotions are consciously or subconsciously embedded within the tone of a text.
Whatever a text is about, its creator will have feelings towards this subject. These emotions are consciously or subconsciously embedded within the tone of a text.
Tone - the way a creator embeds emotions within their work to evoke a desired mood.
Introduction
Introduction
Humans are emotional creatures, and we embed these emotions in the things we create.
These emotions can be identified through the tone of a text, which can be a conscious or subconscious reflection of a creator's attitude toward something.
Manipulating Tone
Manipulating Tone
Subconscious manipulation
Subconscious manipulation
Let's consider an example of how the tone of a text can subconsciously reflect its creator's emotional state.
Think about an angry comment you have seen online. Now try to imagine the look on the face of the person writing this comment—are they frowning? scowling? perhaps turning red?
Whatever their emotional state, this will be reflected in the tone of their work, which we can probably describe using adjectives such as furious or outraged.
Conscious manipulation
Conscious manipulation
Now let's consider how a creator can consciously embed a specific tone within their work.
The following example comes from the opening line of Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
There is a confidence in this line which suggests that the narrator of Austen's novel truly believes that every rich, single man must be looking for a wife.
And yet, is the claim just a little too bold to be taken seriously? Can we detect a hint of mockery in the tone?
Here, Austen's playful, mocking tone is an invitation for her audience to smile in anticipation of the cheeky romantic story to come.
Title page from the first edition of the first volume of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Lilly Library, Indiana University. Creative Commons.
Understanding Tone
Understanding Tone
Identifying a creator's tone can be an excellent way to learn their attitude towards the subject matter of a text.
In the first example above, the person writing an online comment in a furious tone suggests that they are angry about the subject matter of their post, and that they want their audience to feel likewise.
By contrast, Jane Austen's playful tone in her opening line to Pride and Prejudice hints that she does not believe that all young men with a large fortune must really be in want of a wife. Thus, the story to come will be a humorous parody of this subject.
Editor's Notes
Editor's Notes
Tone can be tricky to detect until you get the hang of it. Perhaps as one last example, you can consider the tone of this guide.
I have attempted to keep my writing across the site clear and concise so that it communicates meaning as effectively as possible.
However, like Austen, I have also tried to inject some playful humour into my language to keep things from getting too dry.
Well, have I succeeded in writing in an informative yet playful tone?
Only you can decide, dear reader.
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