Consider:
The first day of summer vacation began with a brilliant sunrise,
brimming with promise. The neighborhood sprang to life as children
dashed outside to meet friends and ride bikes to the park. Sprinklers
whirred, refreshing the yellowing lawns while cars loaded with
suitcases and to-go breakfasts headed out of town for long-awaited
trips. Clusters of teenagers, freed from schedules and routines, laughed
and lingered aimlessly on street corners. An invigorating breeze carried
the carefree sounds of summer through the sleepy streets, awakening
the community to the three months of relaxation and adventure that
lay ahead.
Discuss:
1. What is the overall tone of this passage? What details help
establish this?
2. How do the literary techniques of diction, imagery, and syntax
work together to create this tone? Analyze specific examples.