Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven: Mood 1 key example

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
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:

The mood of Station Eleven is highly dependent on what’s being described. When Mandel is taxonomizing the many things the Georgia Flu has destroyed, the mood is mournful and poetic, but there are also moments where a reader feels intense tension and fear. Early in the novel, the rapid spread of the pandemic creates an atmosphere of slowly growing anxiety and unease; at first there’s confusion, and then there’s widespread horror and panic. The virus moves too quickly for anyone to stop it, and the novel shifts its focus to the helpless tension and tragedy of civilization collapsing in real time. Scenes of empty cities, highways clogged with abandoned cars, and newscasters bidding sad farewells to their families on the air heighten the reader’s sense of dread.