Final answer:
The author's tone is reflected in their word choice and narrative details, indicating attitudes like disapproval, peace, triumph, or apprehension. Tone can range from formal to playful and is conveyed through diction and imagery.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which sentence best describes the author's tone, we should consider how the author's word choice and the details they provide shape the narrative's attitude and mood. Tone in literature reflects the author's attitude towards the subject or the audience, and it can vary from formal to sarcastic, playful to somber.
For instance, describing actions that signify disapproval uses words with negative connotations, like 'snarling' and 'stomped,' to convey a negative tone. On the other hand, depicting the character experiencing peace while watching the sunset suggests a serene and positive tone. Similarly, relief at defeating a monster or the creation of danger in a forest scene can inform the reader about a tone of triumph or apprehension respectively.
By analyzing the diction, or word choice, as well as imagery and the development of the narrative, we can discern the tone. An example is if the author chooses the word 'joyful' over 'happy,' the former might suggest a more intense level of happiness, affecting the tone of the text. Likewise, the tone of a story like 'Hamlet' is distinctly different from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' due to the dark, scathing nature of the former and the dreamlike, happy atmosphere of the latter.