The tone of the novel ranges from playful and lighthearted to reverent and passionate, reflecting the narrator's engagement with the story and their emotional investment in the events as they unfold. The narrator's playful tone infuses the narrative with a sense of joy and whimsy, complementing the fantastical and imaginative nature of the story. At the same time, the narrator's frequent use of a sort of reverent tone suggests a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the lessons it offers. The narrator's passion is evident in their vivid descriptions and their ability to convey the characters' emotions and experiences with intensity.
Overall, the combination of a third-person omniscient perspective, occasional commentary, and a playful, reverent, and passionate tone creates a narrative voice that invites readers into a captivating and emotionally rich storytelling experience. This can be seen in the below passage from Chapter 4:
Conversation was impossible for a long time; and when it was slowly resumed, it was that regrettable sort of conversation that results from talking with your mouth full. The Badger did not mind that sort of thing at all, nor did he take any notice of elbows on the table, or everybody speaking at once. As he did not go into Society himself, he had got an idea that these things belonged to the things that really didn’t matter. (We know of course that he was wrong, and took too narrow a view; because they do matter very much, though it would take too long to explain why.)
The passage above conveys a sense of lightness and humor. The narrator's mention of the "regrettable conversation" is playful and humorous, further emphasized by Badger's indifference towards social etiquette. The narrator's tone also has a touch of irony, as there is a contrast between Badger's nonchalant attitude around manners and the narrator's aside, which suggests that Badger's perspective is mistaken. Overall, this tone invites readers to view social conventions like putting one's elbows on the table with a sense of humor.
At times, the novel's tone is contemplative and reverent, as exemplified in the below passage from Chapter 7:
For this is the last best gift that the kindly demigod is careful to bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before.
The narrator's tone in the passage above is contemplative. The use of phrases such as "last best," "awful remembrance," and "the great haunting memory" adds a somber quality, encouraging readers to think about the deeper implications of forgetfulness. All in all, this tone is in keeping with some of the more philosophical and introspective moments in the novel.
The tone of the novel ranges from playful and lighthearted to reverent and passionate, reflecting the narrator's engagement with the story and their emotional investment in the events as they unfold. The narrator's playful tone infuses the narrative with a sense of joy and whimsy, complementing the fantastical and imaginative nature of the story. At the same time, the narrator's frequent use of a sort of reverent tone suggests a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the lessons it offers. The narrator's passion is evident in their vivid descriptions and their ability to convey the characters' emotions and experiences with intensity.
Overall, the combination of a third-person omniscient perspective, occasional commentary, and a playful, reverent, and passionate tone creates a narrative voice that invites readers into a captivating and emotionally rich storytelling experience. This can be seen in the below passage from Chapter 4:
Conversation was impossible for a long time; and when it was slowly resumed, it was that regrettable sort of conversation that results from talking with your mouth full. The Badger did not mind that sort of thing at all, nor did he take any notice of elbows on the table, or everybody speaking at once. As he did not go into Society himself, he had got an idea that these things belonged to the things that really didn’t matter. (We know of course that he was wrong, and took too narrow a view; because they do matter very much, though it would take too long to explain why.)
The passage above conveys a sense of lightness and humor. The narrator's mention of the "regrettable conversation" is playful and humorous, further emphasized by Badger's indifference towards social etiquette. The narrator's tone also has a touch of irony, as there is a contrast between Badger's nonchalant attitude around manners and the narrator's aside, which suggests that Badger's perspective is mistaken. Overall, this tone invites readers to view social conventions like putting one's elbows on the table with a sense of humor.
At times, the novel's tone is contemplative and reverent, as exemplified in the below passage from Chapter 7:
For this is the last best gift that the kindly demigod is careful to bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before.
The narrator's tone in the passage above is contemplative. The use of phrases such as "last best," "awful remembrance," and "the great haunting memory" adds a somber quality, encouraging readers to think about the deeper implications of forgetfulness. All in all, this tone is in keeping with some of the more philosophical and introspective moments in the novel.
