The Last Leaf

by O. Henry

The Last Leaf: 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 this piece is often sentimental, both stylistically and thematically. The combination of playful language and allusions to classical art give O. Henry’s story a softer edge, despite the gritty reality of the artists’ lives. This is clear in the description given of Behrman:

Old Behrman was […] past sixty and had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp. [...] Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress’s robe.