Tone

The Poisonwood Bible

by Barbara Kingsolver

The Poisonwood Bible: 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
Book 1, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis:

The Price family are white Americans, originally from the American South. Their rough transition to a rural African village generates a persistent ironic tone throughout the book when their assumptions are upset or challenged. For instance, Adah notes wryly in Book 1 that Nathan's attempts to bring practical items to the Congo backfired:

His hammer turned out to be a waste of two or three good pounds, because there appear to be no nails in the mud-and-thatch town of Kilanga. [...] Leah in her earnest way helped him scout around for a project, but alas he found nothing worth pounding at, anywhere.