Tone
The Color Purple
by Alice Walker

The Color Purple: 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 The Color Purple

Letter 55
Explanation and Analysis:

The Color Purple is an epistolary novel, which means that there is no external narrative tone present to provide commentary on characters' actions or contextualize those actions within a broader societal narrative. Celie is our primary narrative voice, given that she is our primary letter-writer. Nettie will occasionally weigh in as well, through her letters. As such, they are the lens through which readers experience any additional tonal meanings Walker intends to imbue in the text.