Final answer:
The tone in a piece of writing is the author's attitude or mood, conveyed through word choice, sentence structure, and stylistic elements. It can affect how readers perceive and emotionally connect with the text. When evaluating tone, analysis must focus on diction and the nuances of language used throughout the work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word tone describes the attitude or mood conveyed by the author in a piece of writing, which can be reflected through word choice, sentence structure, and stylistic elements. For example, in the excerpt from Stephen King, the tone or feeling in the story can be identified by analyzing the words and phrases used, as well as the images or dialogue depicted. When evaluating tone, it is important to consider the author's tone towards the subject or audience, which can range from formal, and sarcastic, to playful, among others. Specifically in literature, the tone of a short story, including the turning point, can greatly influence the reader's interpretation and emotional response to the text.
An author's word choice and word order are essential in conveying tone. The use of diction, or overall word choice, can significantly impact the tone that is established. For example, using 'joyful' instead of 'happy,' or 'seething' instead of 'angry' can give readers a more precise sense of the writer's intended emotional context.
To illustrate, an excerpt from Thomas Hardy's 'Neutral Tones' can showcase a specific tone through its descriptive language and thematic elements. Similarly, in a scenario where a small dog causes a commotion, the writer's depiction of the event can reveal an underlying tone of surprise, humor, or criticism, depending on the language selections and narrative style deployed.