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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
to Miss Eliza Wharton. ENCLOSED IN THE FOREGORING.
Explanation and Analysis:
The novel's tone is didactic, discontented, and often ironic. In many ways, Foster uses Eliza's tragic downfall to express a clear moral lesson: To avoid Eliza's fate, young women should avoid libertines like Sanford and cultivate respectable relationships with virtuous men like Boyer. In keeping with this argument, women like Lucy and Mrs. Richman, whom Eliza initially dismisses as prudish, turn out to be absolutely right about the results of her affair with Sanford. Such women often give Eliza explicit advice on her behavior—for example, Lucy warns her that her reputation is a "jewel" she must guard assiduously—and their warnings suggest that the novel's purpose is to instruct young female readers.
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