Examples of Tone in Literature

Tone as a literary device is an essential aspect of the narrative voice of a literary work. This way, the writer informs the reader & communicates attitudes & feelings that might have been limited if only words were used. 

Let’s see examples of tone in literature:

Example 1

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

“Travelers are on a cosmic journey, stardust, where they swirl & dance in the whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to meet, love, & share with each other. A precious moment, like a little parenthesis in eternity.”‘

• Paulo Coelho here in the above passage from The Alchemist uses descriptive & figurative language to establish a tone of wonder and awe about the metaphysical relationships of the universe. By telling the reader that “we” are metaphorical travelers who are all part of the infinite cosmos, Coelho conveys the connection humans have had till now. The reader also feels connected with the words of the writer, meanings & the universe via the literary work. Also, the inclusion of the image that human interaction is momentary & a temporary encounter “to meet, to love, to share” tells us that people’s lives are brief & precious. This allows the reader to think about how they can make an impact, on the people & the world.

It is not easy for writers to show universal meaning in a literary work using denotative & connotative wording. Coelho in the above passage uses tone as a literary device to portray a universality of human existence related to time & space. This catches the reader’s attention because it shows a  feeling of belongingness & connection to all things while also mentioning the individual’s existence & importance.

Example 2

The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini

“She may have suffered. My family would never accept her as an equal. One can’t order someone to polish shoes one day & next day call them ‘sister’.” He looked towards me. “Amir Jan, you are free to tell me whatever you want.”

These lines are from Khalid Hosseini’s novel. He is an Afghani who uses a serious yet biased tone. What we see is how clear the narrator is about his family’s biases towards the Hazara which is one of the minority Shia communities in Afghanistan.

Every piece to read has a tone. Textbooks have an informative tone. Blogs come up with an engaging & conversational tone. A satirical piece has a humorous or ironic tone. The tone in literature is filled with a variety of moods, thoughts, & feelings that authors express in their works. While writing, we see a reflection of the author’s attitude or feelings about the subject matter & audience of the work. 

Tone words help us in expressing that attitude.