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Metaphors
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 Bartleby, the Scrivener
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of “Bartleby, the Scrivener” starts out humorous, then becomes frustrating, ultimately ending up in an eerie and unsettling place. The beginning of the story is clearly comical, as the Lawyer dedicates pages and pages to describing how poor his employees are at their jobs: Turkey can only get work done before he gets drunk at lunchtime, while Nippers is only productive after lunch when he is not experiencing indigestion. Even after the Lawyer hires Bartleby and Bartleby starts refusing to perform certain duties (such as copyediting his work), the mood is still funny, feeling more like a comedy of errors than a dark tale.
Related Themes:
