The Goldfinch

by Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch: 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
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:

The tone of Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is partially psychological and contemplative. Told in first-person retrospective, Theodore Decker narrates the story from an adult perspective, reflecting on his traumatic teenage years with a newfound maturity and emotional awareness. Theo’s drug-induced dreams and anxiety-fueled decisions become an integral ingredient in the narrative, allowing the reader to take part in analyzing Theo’s behavior.