Introduction
Two commonly confused literary terms are Mood and Tone. In this activity, we will learn the difference between the two by reading a short excerpt from the story "The Laughing Hippopotamus by L. Frank Baum.
But first we need some definitions:
Mood - Mood refers to the atmosphere or emotion of a story. It is developed through the use of setting, tone and other literary devices. For example, if the author wants to create a feeling of suspense and fear, setting the story in the darken basement of an abandoned house would better set the mood than setting it in a bright, sunny day in a meadow full of butterflies and song birds.
Tone - Tone describes the narrator's voice. What words the author choses can help you figure out what the writer's attitude towards their subject is.
An easy way to keep the two separated is to remember mood is about what is happening inside the story, tone is what's happening outside of the story.
Task
Read these definitions taken from the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Mood:
: a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion, also : the expression of mood especially in art or literatureTone:
: a quality, feeling, or attitude expressed by the words that someone uses in speaking or writing
Look at the following examples:
Example 1:
“After the long, difficult day, she wanted nothing more than to lay on the beach, drink lemonade and watch the sunset.”
What is the mood of this sentence?
This sentence has a warm and relaxing mood.
Example 2:
“The floor boards creaked, doors seemed to open on their own accord and in the distance, he heard the howl of a wolf.”
What is the mood of this sentence?
This sentence as a scary or fearful mood.
Next read the following examples:
Example 1:
“He looked around and realized he was lost. Everything in the forest looked the same as if the path home had vanished. Everywhere were walls of dark, ominous trees looming over him like a cabal of witches and in the distance, he heard the high pitched scream of a mountain lion.”
What is the tone of this passage?
This passage has a serious tone.
Example 2:
“He was lost. He had bumbled through the forest like a typical city dweller and couldn’t tell which way was up, much less which way lead back home. He was surrounded by trees, which he mistook for monsters and witches and whatever else made him sleep with the light on. From somewhere far off, he heard what he thought sounded like a giant cat or something.”
What is the tone of this passage?
This passage has a sarcastic or condescending tone.
Process
Here's an excerpt from "The Laughing Hippopotamus" by L. Frank Baum (Author of the Wizard of Oz novels). Please read it an answer the following questions.
On one of the upper branches of the Congo river lived an ancient and aristocratic family of hippopotamuses, which boasted a pedigree dating back beyond the days of Noah--beyond the existence of mankind--far into the dim ages when the world was new.
They had always lived upon the banks of this same river, so that every curve and sweep of its waters, every pit and shallow of its bed, every rock and stump and wallow upon its bank was as familiar to them as their own mothers. And they are living there yet, I suppose.
Not long ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child which she named Keo, because it was so fat and round. Still, that you may not be misled, I will say that in the hippopotamus language "Keo," properly translated, means "fat and lazy" instead of fat and round. However, no one called the queen's attention to this error, because her tusks were monstrous long and sharp, and she thought Keo the sweetest baby in the world.
He was, indeed, all right for a hippopotamus. He rolled and played in the soft mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the leaves of the wild cabbage that grew there, and was happy and contented from morning till night. And he was the jolliest hippopotamus that ancient family had ever known. His little red eyes were forever twinkling with fun, and he laughed his merry laugh on all occasions, whether there was anything to laugh at or not.
What is the mood of this passage?
What is the tone of this passage?
What is the setting of this passage?
Evaluation
Answer the following questions:
In your own words, what is mood?
In your own words, what is tone?
In your own words, what is the difference between mood and tone?
Conclusion
Hopefully you've gained a better insight into the differences between mood and tone. Next time you read a book, think about the mood and tone the writer is using and what effect is has on your experience reading the book.
Thanks.