What Is The Difference Between Tone And Mood?

By Juliet D'cruz

If you are planning to write a novel then you must know the difference between tone and mood! Tone and mood are the two different elements that are used by the author while writing a novel. People who are new to literature may find difficulty in understanding both these terms. So, in today’s article, I will discuss what is the difference between tone and mood in detail. Here, I have also listed down a few examples of both tone and mood. Also, I have compared these terms with atmosphere, voice, and attitude. Are you excited to know the difference between tone and mode? Then keep on reading this post!

Difference Between Tone And Mood

To know the difference between tone and mode in literature, let us first understand the meanings of these terms.

What Is Mood In Literature?

In simple words, the mood is a type of feeling that the reader gets while reading the writing. This element is usually created by describing the nearby surroundings, feelings, and actions of characters. By choosing the correct words according to the events will create the mood for that particular scene.

What Is Tone?

An author’s attitude towards their writing is known as tone. This element is used by the author to reflect their personal opinion or feelings of a particular character. They can covey this element through their word choice, punctuation, and sentence structure. So, every sentence you read in a story has its own tone. Authors use a variety of tones, some of them are listed down below for you.

  • Formal Tone
  • Intimate Tone
  • Solemn Tone
  • Playful Tone
  • Serious Tone
  • Somber Tone
  • Ironic Tone
  • Satirical Tone
  • Condescending Tone
  • Bitter Tone

Though tone and mood are similar concepts, there is a vast difference between mood and tone. Below I have listed down some factors that will let you know the exact difference between tone and mood in the story.

  • One of the major differences in mood vs tone is that tone is the point of view of the author. While the mood is the emotional state that the author coveys and the reader reads.
  • The tone of the story shows what the author feels or looks at in particular situations. However, the mood of the story shows what the reader feels while that story.
  • The tone helps the author to express his thoughts that show his way of thinking. On the other hand, the mood is the set of emotions conveyed by the author.
  • Usually, the tone of the story can be identified by the wordings and details of the story. While the mood of the story totally depends on the reader. In short, it is up to him, how he feels about the stories, characters, plots, dialogues, etc.

Over here, I have listed down some examples of tone vs mood.

ToneMood
SarcasticHappiness
AmusingAnger
HumourousPity
IronyJealousy
SuspicionFun
NostalgicTerror 
DramaticPassion
ArdentExcitement
Cheerful

Here, I have also given some novels and movies names that will help you to understand these terms better.

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Tone Vs Mood Examples In Literature

Have a look at these classic as well as modern examples of tone and mood.

  • The Hunger Games (dark and suspenseful)
  • Othello (Suspicious)
  • The Bluest Eye ( Depressing)
  • Great Expectations ( Wistful)
  • Jane Eyre (Affectionate)

Difference Between Tone And Mood And Atmosphere

As now you have understood the difference of tone and mood in poetry, let us check out what does atmosphere means.

The atmosphere is the overall feeling created from the tone and mood together. The atmosphere is all about choosing the correct emotions that go well with the characters and situations. This element will help the readers to build a relationship with the characters and feel their pain and joy.

Difference Between Tone And Mood And Attitude

By now you have understood the difference of tone and mood in detail. Most authors and poets also use the element attitude in their novels and poetry. Now, what’s attitude? The feeling or disposition presented in the poem by the poet is termed as attitude. There is the only difference in all these three terms, that is how they are used to describe the voice of literature.

FAQ

What Is The Difference Of Tone And Mood?

The difference between tone vs mood is as follows.

  • One of the major differences in mood vs tone is that tone is the point of view of the author. While the mood is the emotional state that the author coveys and the reader reads.
  • The tone of the story shows what the author feels or looks at in particular situations. However, the mood of the story shows what the reader feels while that story.

What Are Examples Of Mood And Tone?

The examples of mood and tone are as follows.

ToneMood
SarcasticHappiness
AmusingAnger
HumourousPity
IronyJealousy
SuspicionFun
NostalgicTerror 
DramaticPassion
ArdentExcitement
Cheerful

What Is Voice Tone And Mood?

The tone of the story shows what the author feels or looks at in particular situations. However, the mood of the story shows what the reader feels while that story. And the voice is the author’s style that makes his or her writing unique and different.

Conclusion

To wrap up, you can now easily spot the difference between tone and mode in a poem. One of the major differences in both these terms is that tone is the point of view of the author. While the mood is the emotional state that the author coveys and the reader reads. Usually, the tone of the story can be identified by the wordings and details of the story. It can be serious, formal, or optimistic. While the mood of the story totally depends on the reader. Once you know the difference between tone and mode, even you can write your own novel! 

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