Final answer:
Indirect characterization using the 'cry-smile' detail reveals a parent's complex emotions, enhancing understanding of the character. The tone of a story influences reader reaction, revealed through linguistic choices. Action and dialogue convey character traits and relationships, with 'expectant' creating a sense of anticipation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characterization of the speaker's parent using the "cry-smile" detail is achieved indirectly. This specific behavior reflects a complexity of emotions, indicating that the parent may be experiencing both happiness and sadness simultaneously. Such a detail adds depth to the character, suggesting they have rich, nuanced feelings, perhaps about a situation or memory that is both joyous and painful. It enhances our understanding of the character without the need for explicit description.
The tone of a story is the attitude conveyed by the writer towards the subject, and can be identified through the choice of words, phrases, images, or dialogue. A dark or light tone can significantly affect how readers feel about the content. To ascertain the tone, readers should consider how the text makes them feel and which elements contribute to these feelings.
Action and dialogue are key in engaging readers and offering insights into characters' traits and relationships. Good dialogue can reveal much about a character's personality and how they relate to others, sometimes indicating conflict, trauma, or friendliness. The phrase "expectant" implies a sense of anticipation and sets the scene for a potential development or revelation in the narrative.