Theatrical Episode Analysis Discussion

DIDLS: The Key to TONE

Diction - the connotation of the word choice

What words does the author choose? Consider his/her word choice compared to another. Why did

the author choose that particular word? What are the connotations of that word choice?

Images - vivid appeals to understanding through the senses - concrete language

What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory (sight, touch, taste, smell, etc.) way? The kinds of images the author puts in or leaves out reflect his/her style? Are

they vibrant? Prominent? Plain? NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they

appeal to the senses.

Details - facts that are included or those that are omitted

What details are does the author choose to include? What do they imply? What does the author

choose to exclude? What are the connotations of their choice of details? PLEASE NOTE: Details are

facts or fact-lets. They differ from images in that they don't have a strong sensory appeal.

Language - the overall use of language, such as formal, clinical, jargon

What is the overall impression of the language the author uses? Does it reflect education? A particular profession? Intelligence? Is it plain? Ornate? Simple? Clear? Figurative? Poetic? Make

sure you don't skip this step.

Sentence Structure - how structure affects the reader's attitude

What are the sentences like? Are they simple with one or two clauses? Do they have multiple phrases? Are they choppy? Flowing? Sinuous like a snake? Is there antithesis, chiasmus, parallel

construction? What emotional impression do they leave? If we are talking about poetry, what is

the meter? Is there a rhyme scheme?

DICTION:

Laugh: guffaw, chuckle, titter, giggle, cackle, snicker, roar

Self-confident: proud, conceited, egotistical, stuck-up, haughty, smug, condescending

House: home, hut, shack, mansion, cabin, home, residence

Old: mature, experienced, antique, relic, senior, ancient

Fat: obese, plump, corpulent, portly, porky, burly, husky, full-figured

IMAGES:

The use of vivid descriptions or figures of speech that appeal to sensory experiences helps to

create the author's tone.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun. (restrained)

An old, mad, blind, despised, and dying king. (somber, candid)

He clasps the crag with crooked hands. (dramatic)

Love sets you going like a fat gold watch. (fanciful)

Smiling, the boy fell dead. (shocking)

DETAILS:

Details are most commonly the facts given by the author or speaker as support for the attitude or

tone.

The speaker's perspective shapes what details are given and which are not.

LANGUAGE:

Like word choice, the language of a passage has control over tone.

Consider language to be the entire body of words used in a text, not simply isolated bits of

diction.

For example, an invitation to a wedding might use formal language, while a biology text would use

scientific and clinical language.

• When I told Dad that I had goofed the exam, he blew his top. (slang)

• I had him on the ropes in the fourth and if one of my short rights had connected, he'd have gone down for the count. (jargon)

• A close examination and correlation of the most reliable current economic indexes justifies the conclusion that the next year will witness a continuation of the present, upward market trend.

(turgid, pedantic)

SENTENCE STRUCTURE:

How a sentence is constructed affects what the audience understands.

Parallel syntax (similarly styled phrases and sentences) creates interconnected emotions, feelings

and ideas.

Short sentences are punchy and intense. Long sentences are distancing, reflective and more

abstract.

Loose sentences point at the end. Periodic sentences point at the beginning, followed by modifiers

and phrases.

The inverted order of an interrogative sentence cues the reader to a question and creates tension

between speaker and listener.

Short sentences are often emphatic, passionate or flippant, whereas longer sentences suggest

greater thought.

Sentence structure affects tone.

SHIFT IN TONE:

Good authors are rarely monotone. A speaker's attitude can shift on a topic, or an author might

have one attitude toward the audience and another toward the subject. The following are some

clues to watch for shifts in tone:

• key words (but, yet, nevertheless, however, although)

• punctuation (dashes, periods, colons)

• paragraph divisions

• changes in sentence length

• sharp contrasts in diction

The Literary Superpower Tool of TONE Tone is defined as the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject and the audience.

Understanding tone in prose and poetry can be challenging because the reader doesn't have voice inflection to obscure or to carry meaning. Thus, an appreciation of word choice, details, imagery,

and language all contribute to the understanding of tone. To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret

meaning.

DIDLS: The Key to TONE Diction - the connotation of the word choice. What words does the author

choose? Consider his/her word choice compared to another. Why did the author choose that particular word?

What are the connotations of that word choice?

Images - vivid appeals to understanding

through the senses - concrete language. What images does the author use? What does he/she focus on in a sensory

(sight, touch, taste, smell, etc.) way? The kinds of images the author puts in or leaves out reflect his/her style? Are

they vibrant? Prominent? Plain? NOTE: Images differ from detail in the degree to which they appeal to the senses.

Details - facts that are included or those that are omitted . What details are does the author choose

to include? What do they imply? What does the author choose to exclude? What are the

connotations of their choice of details? PLEASE NOTE: Details are

facts or fact-lets. They differ from images in that they don't have a

strong sensory appeal.

Language - the overall use of language, such as formal, clinical,

jargon. What is the overall impression of the language the author uses? Does it reflect

education? A particular profession? Intelligence? Is it plain? Ornate? Simple? Clear? Figurative? Poetic?

Make sure you don't skip this step.

Sentence Structure - how structure affects the reader's

attitude. What are the sentences like? Are they simple with one or two clauses? Do they have

multiple phrases? Are they choppy? Flowing? Sinuous like a snake? Is there antithesis,

chiasmus, parallel construction? What emotional impression do they leave? If we are talking about

poetry, what is the meter? Is there a rhyme scheme?

HOW TO IDENTIFY TONE

STEP ONE: Use DIDLS

STEP TWO: Begin with a simple tone such as positive, negative, neutral, philosophical, satirical.

STEP THREE: Refine the tone by selecting an adjective that is more descriptive. Here is a short list of simple but helpful "tone words":

Angry Sad Sentimental Afraid

Sharp Cold Fanciful Detached

Upset Urgent Complimentary Contemptuous

Silly Joking Condescending Happy

Boring Poignant Sympathetic Confused

Apologetic Hollow Childish Humorous

Joyful Peaceful Horrific Allusive

Mocking Sarcastic Sweet Objective

Nostalgic Vexed Vibrant Zealous

Tired Frivolous Irrelevant Bitter

Audacious Benevolent Dreamy Shocking

Seductive Restrained Somber Candid

Proud Giddy Pitiful Dramatic

Provocative Didactic Lugubrious Sentimental

ADD MORE OF YOUR OWN TONE WORDS BELOW!!