Throughout "The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky," the narrator maintains a light and evenhanded tone that occasionally verges on playful and ironic.
The narrator devotes particular attention to the gazes and body language of both major and minor characters. These descriptions rarely enter into the emotions or thoughts of the characters, instead discussing the characters' inner worlds based on what can be seen on their bodies and supposed through their movements. As a result, the tone simultaneously feels removed and involved: the narrator does not claim access to the characters' internal experiences, but nevertheless pays them close enough attention to seem omniscient.
The subtle hint of playful irony present in the narrator's tone is also related to this attentiveness to the characters' body language. For example, when the action takes place in the train, the narrator notes the embarrassment of the newlyweds with precise detail, commenting both on their various faux pas and the minute responses of workers on the train and other passengers. This keen attention makes way for a certain degree of irony, as the narrator recognizes their clumsy naïveté. However, even if the narrator describes their inability to assimilate to the bourgeois surroundings with a keen sharpness, the tone does not feel judgmental or mean-spirited.
Over the course of the story, the discerning narrator is neither especially compassionate nor especially disparaging. This ensures that the tone remains level and collected.
