novel/story review

Checklist:

WRIT

ING ABOUT STYLE & TONE

St

yle is the way

diction (

word

choices

)

, syntax (word order

and sentence

length),

and

descriptive language combine to create an emotional undertone

in prose.

Does the writer use

unusual

word choice

s or use words in

distinctive way

s

?

This is called

diction.

In a sense, word choices have a fl

avor all their own

.

When the words are extravagant and highly charged, that creates a flavor of

intensity

.

Words

that are simple, unemotional, and objectively descriptive creates a flavor of detachment.

The way the story makes itself distinct because of the way it

is

put

–

its

distinct voice

–

is

what we call its

style.

The patterns of the sentences

create a rhythm. They can be s

h

ort and c

hoppy or long,

clause

-

laden and complex.

Sometime

s there

’

s

a mi

x of short and longer sentences.

The

distinctive style

of He

mingway

’

s short stories, for example, is its clipped, short

sentences with often

-

repeated words that are unemotional, almost objective in their purview.

Faulkner

’

s prose, however, is elaborate and complex,

immersing readers in the emotion

s of the

moment

.

The

order of events

and the

organization

of

events in

the story can have stylistic earmarks

.

Some tales are told in a straight

-

forward, chronological way. O

th

ers have

surprising brea

ks in

chronology, starting at the end

and looking backward

, beginning in the middle of the action,

or

moving back and forth in time in a seemingly random way.

Find the

tone

of a story by identifying the narrator

’

s attitude towards the events he or she is

reporting. In literary stories, the tone is often the key to finding the important themes.

To

ne varies

widely

, of cours

e

. T

he narrator

may have

an attitude

of dispassionate restraint,

or

one

of in

tense emotional involvement in the

story. The

narrator

may present a central irony or

a tragic irony that will overwhelm the protagonist in the end, or the narrator may have an attitude

of hushed excit

ement or passionate concern. Yes, it

’

s the key to a lot of what makes the meaning

emerge.

Checklist: WRITING ABOUT STYLE & TONE

Style is the way diction (word choices), syntax (word order and sentence length), and

descriptive language combine to create an emotional undertone in prose.

Does the writer use unusual word choices or use words in distinctive ways? This is called

diction. In a sense, word choices have a flavor all their own.

When the words are extravagant and highly charged, that creates a flavor of intensity. Words

that are simple, unemotional, and objectively descriptive creates a flavor of detachment.

The way the story makes itself distinct because of the way it is put – its distinct voice – is

what we call its style.

The patterns of the sentences create a rhythm. They can be short and choppy or long,

clause-laden and complex. Sometimes there’s a mix of short and longer sentences.

The distinctive style of Hemingway’s short stories, for example, is its clipped, short

sentences with often-repeated words that are unemotional, almost objective in their purview.

Faulkner’s prose, however, is elaborate and complex, immersing readers in the emotions of the

moment.

The order of events and the organization of events in the story can have stylistic earmarks.

Some tales are told in a straight-forward, chronological way. Others have surprising breaks in

chronology, starting at the end and looking backward, beginning in the middle of the action, or

moving back and forth in time in a seemingly random way.

Find the tone of a story by identifying the narrator’s attitude towards the events he or she is

reporting. In literary stories, the tone is often the key to finding the important themes.

Tone varies widely, of course. The narrator may have an attitude of dispassionate restraint,

or one of intense emotional involvement in the story. The narrator may present a central irony or

a tragic irony that will overwhelm the protagonist in the end, or the narrator may have an attitude

of hushed excitement or passionate concern. Yes, it’s the key to a lot of what makes the meaning

emerge.