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Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
Similar to the mood of the story, the tone is one of tension. Being raised in China and living through the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Shi holds beliefs that are generally aligned with traditional Chinese beliefs. On the other hand, his daughter, who resides in the U.S., has a more American mindset. As a result, it is hard for both people to understand each other and the tone of the story becomes conflicted. Marriage is the subject of the biggest disagreements that Mr. Shi and his daughter have:
"Baba, we were divorced because of this man. I was the abandoner, if you want to use the term."
"But why?"
"Things go wrong in a marriage, Baba."
"One night of being husband and wife in bed makes them in love for a hundred days. You were married for seven years! How could you do this to your husband? What was the problem, anyway, besides your little extramarital affair?" Mr. Shi says. A disloyal woman is the last thing he raised his daughter to be.
Even though his daughter admits to having an affair, Mr. Shi does not see this as a dealbreaker. Mr. Shi views marriage as a promise that should never be broken. This idea is also reflected when he chooses to stay with his wife and keep the demotion instead of admitting his affair. His daughter, though, accepts divorce as a decision one can make when things go wrong in a marriage. Because both people's beliefs are based on different cultures, the story suggests that no one can be right or wrong. Thus the tone remains conflicted, as there is no resolution to be made.
While there is often a tone of conflict, the story ends on a more optimistic tone. After Mr. Shi reflects on his past he comes to the decision that "For an old man like him, it is not healthy to ponder too much over memory. A good man should have in the present moment, with Madam, a dear friend sitting next to him, holding up a perfect golden gingko leaf to the sunshine for him to see." Focusing on the present indicates an acceptance of what has already happened. Mr. Shi does not want to let the past dictate the present. While the story ends here, these sentiments leave more room for understanding between Mr. Shi and his daughter, shifting to a brighter tone. Further, the vivid imagery of the gingko leaf reminds Mr. Shi that even the small things in life can be meaningful.
Related Themes:
