A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
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A Christmas Carol: Tone 1 key example

Definition of Tone

The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition

Key Examples in A Christmas Carol

Stave 1
Explanation and Analysis:

A Christmas Carol has a very strong narrative voice. The third-person narrator provides lengthy descriptions and moralizing judgments. Usually, a third-person omniscient narrator allows readers to understand and sympathize with the protagonist. However, in this story, the narrator refuses to sympathize with Scrooge. The narrator's initial portrait of Scrooge is tinged with a disapproving tone, as it becomes clear that the narrator frowns upon Scrooge's coldhearted ways:

A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.