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Irony
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Key Examples in A Good Man is Hard to Find
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” has some significant shifts over the course of the story. Like many of O’Connor’s stories, this one starts off on a mundane, almost dull note. As the family sets off on their road trip, there is some low-stakes familial conflict about where they should go and if they should stop for food, but, for the most part, the first half of the story is quite calm. The following passage—which comes near the middle of their road trip—captures this monotonous mood:
When the children finished all the comic books they had brought, they opened the lunch and ate it. The grandmother ate a peanut butter sandwich and an olive and would not let the children throw the box and the paper napkins out the window. When there was nothing else to do they played a game by choosing a cloud and making the other two guess what shape it suggested.
Related Themes:
