What does tone refer to in literature?

Tone in literature refers to the attitude of a writer towards a subject or an audience. This encompasses how the author expresses their feelings and perspectives through word choice, sentence structure, and the overall mood conveyed in the text. It can reveal insights into the author’s intentions and can greatly affect how readers perceive the message of the work. For instance, a sarcastic tone can create humor or critique, while a somber tone may evoke empathy or sorrow.

Understanding tone is essential for interpreting the deeper meanings within a text, as it influences not just the emotional response of the reader but also the way in which characters and situations are understood. In contrast, other choices focus on different aspects of literature; the main theme is the central idea, the setting relates to the time and place in which the story occurs, and style pertains to the distinctive way in which a writer expresses their ideas, which may include tone but is broader in scope.