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Style
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 Hunchback of Notre Dame
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s narrator takes turns being a friend and lecturer. Intimate at times and didactic at others, the narrator balances the two roles and often changes between chapters. They criticize the poor architectural tastes that have “stuck their wretched, ephemeral baubles” across Paris’s Gothic masterpieces. Decoding Claude Frollo’s prophecy, they survey the social changes introduced by the printing press as the “book […] kill[s] the building.” The narrator is wise yet somewhat domineering as they press their opinions and knowledge upon the reader.
