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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
The mood of the novel begins with excitement and high energy, charting the meteoric beginning of Willie's political rise. Jack's non-linear narration amplifies this excitement: he leaps backward and forward in time in the first few chapters to build the legend of Willie Stark. The mood changes, though, when it becomes apparent that Willie has been put up as a fake candidate by the Democratic Party in order to split the vote.
Willie is distraught and descends into alcohol use, but perseveres over time and eventually earns the governorship anyway. The story then becomes more of a dramatic investigation of Willie's character, as his moral fortitude and political ambition are tested. The mood moves from excitement to anxiety, and the energy from Willie's rise in the early part of the book becomes tension, as Jack's narration complicates Willie's character.
Later parts are marked by mystery and uncertainty, as the novel follows Jack's attempt to figure out the story of Judge Irwin and his bribe. Here the book, at times, becomes a mystery novel, as Jack searches for clues to find dirt on Irwin that might help Willie's political ambitions. Jack does not realize that in researching Irwin, he will also uncover the real identity of his father. The family dramas of Irwin, Littlepaugh, and the Scholarly Attorney are incorporated into Jack's political investigation, as Jack learns about his own life while investigating for Willie. These combined mysteries create a multifaceted mood of unease.
These later portions of the book are also, at times, romantic and moving. After Jack learns of Anne's affair with Willie, he has an extended flashback to his adolescent relationship with her. Their young romance is tender and sweet. But Jack's inability to commit to Anne in any way shows his larger nihilism and cynicism. These qualities of the narrator affect his descriptions throughout the novel and are thus always involved in the novel's mood.
The deaths of Willie and Adam elevate the novel's dramatic, tense mood to its highest point. The novel becomes truly frightening and intense as it reaches its climax, as Adam's murderous rage gives Willie's ever-present charisma its final test. After this, Chapter 10, a kind of epilogue running into an undefined future, is full of Anne and Jack's grief. The mood of the novel thus ends morose and contemplative, the story of Willie Stark having come to its inevitable, violent end.
