Final answer:
Word choice in a text powerfully influences its tone and meaning, shaping the reader's emotional engagement with the story.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word choice in a text significantly impacts the meaning and tone of an excerpt. When attempting to understand how a particular word influences the tone, it's important to consider the author's overall word choice, known as diction, and how it conveys a specific attitude. For example, using the word joyful instead of happy or seething instead of angry can shift the tone from being simply informative to one that is more expressive or intense. Moreover, the conflict within a narrative, like the challenges faced by Mark Twain's character, can create a tone that resonates with the reader's emotions, making the story engaging and relatable. Vivid descriptions and concrete language immerse the reader in the experience, while a narrator's voice and mood can transform the atmosphere from gloomy to happy, or tense to casual.