Tone vs. Mood
TONE and MOOD are two different concepts in literature.
¥
TONE describes the authorÕs attitude toward his/her subject.
The attitude may be stated in so many words or implied. Diction is a key to tone. Tones can be (among other things):
|
affectionate |
aggravated |
aloof |
amused |
angry |
|
apathetic |
appreciative |
approving |
arrogant |
bitter |
|
calm |
celebratory |
condescending |
contemplative |
critical |
|
cynical |
dark |
dejected |
depressed |
desperate |
|
despondent |
didactic |
disappointed |
disapproving |
disgusted |
|
disinterested |
distant |
droll |
earnest |
ecstatic |
|
emphatic |
encouraging |
enthusiastic |
excited |
facetious |
|
formal |
happy |
haughty |
hurt |
informal |
|
intense |
ironic |
joyful |
lackadaisical |
languid |
|
light-hearted |
melancholy |
melodramatic |
nervous |
neutral |
|
nonchalant |
optimistic |
paranoid |
passive |
patronizing |
|
pessimistic |
plaintive |
playful |
pleading |
proud |
|
romantic |
sad |
sarcastic |
scornful |
serious |
|
sincere |
somber |
soothing |
superficial |
suspicious |
|
sympathetic |
uninterested |
whimsical |
wistful |
wry |
Mood music Mood music Mood music Mood music
¥
MOOD is the situation's atmosphere or characters' feelings:
|
Calm |
Cheerful |
Chilling |
Comical |
Dark |
|
Depressing |
Dismal |
Eerie |
Fanciful |
Foreboding |
|
Gloomy |
Grim |
Grotesque |
Heart-breaking |
Heartrending |
|
Holy |
Hopeful |
Horrific |
Intense |
Joyful |
|
Light |
Lighthearted |
Melancholic |
Morbid |
Mournful |
|
Mysterious |
Ominous |
Optimistic |
Pessimistic |
Powerful |
|
Romantic |
Sad |
Sinister |
Soothing |
Sorrowful |
Spiritual |
Spooky |
Terrifying |
Threatening |
Tranquil |
|
Whimsical |
|
|
|
|
"Charlie surveyed the classroom
of dolts, congratulating himself for snatching the higher test grade, the smug
smirk on his face growing brighter and brighter as he confirmed the inferiority
of his peers."
The
character Charlie's MOOD is: gleeful superiority
The author's
TONE is: exaggerated, somewhat cynical