Picnic at Hanging Rock
by Joan Lindsay

Picnic at Hanging Rock: 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 Picnic at Hanging Rock

Tone
Explanation and Analysis:

The tone of Picnic at Hanging Rock is conversational, playful, and sardonic. Looking upon the characters, setting, and events with an attentive and at times mocking gaze, the discerning narrator switches between engaging with the story in a serious manner and approaching it from an ironic distance. While the mood often feels eerie and grim, the tone only occasionally becomes completely solemn. It's primarily when describing the landscape, in particular the geological formations of Hanging Rock, that the narrator seems to become swept up in the heavy mood.