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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
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” changes depending on whether the unnamed East Coast narrator or Wheeler is narrating. During the narrator’s sections of the story, the tone is much more critical, while, during Wheeler’s extended narration, the tone is jovial and conversational. The following passage from the end of the story captures the conflicting tones:
At the door I met the sociable Wheeler returning, and he buttonholed me and recommenced:
“Well, thish-yer Smiley had a yaller one-eyed cow that didn’t have no tail, only just a short stump like a bannanner, and—”
However, lacking both time and inclination, I did not wait to hear about the afflicted cow, but took my leave.
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