Tone
Black Beauty
by Anna Sewell

Black Beauty: 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 Black Beauty

Tone
Explanation and Analysis:

Black Beauty is told from a uniformly first-person perspective. The horse Black Beauty, as the first-person narrator, adjusts his tone in response to his varying circumstances. As he transitions between different owners and environments, the tone shifts, ranging from contentment to concern or hopefulness. This adaptability offers readers insights into his perception of the world as it changes around him. It also allows the novel’s political message to become aligned with the narrator’s “autobiography”: as the audience learns more about Black Beauty, Sewell’s argument for the ethical treatment of horses becomes stronger and stronger.