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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:
The tone of Bless Me, Ultima varies depending on the stage of life that the narrator—an older version of Antonio—is describing. It begins as innocent and naive, which reflects Antonio’s inexperienced perspective as a young child. His early observations are full of wonder and curiosity about the world. As a younger child Antonio absorbs more than he questions.
However, as the novel progresses, the tone becomes both more curious and more conflicted. As Antonio gains the ability to reflect on his actions, the narrator’s tone starts to mirror Antonio’s experiences with ethical challenges and moral concerns. The narrative brings Antonio into contact with an increasing number of issues he does not fully comprehend. The tone becomes especially doubtful when Antonio thinks about ideas surrounding the morality of vengeance, about how to reconcile Ultima's spiritual teachings with Catholicism, and about the power of the Márez and Lunas heritages over his family’s behavior.
The overall tone of the novel is linked to Antonio’s struggle to make sense of his world. At times, the tone feels nervous and reverent, particularly in moments of religious ritual or in his densely symbolic dreams. However, this spiritual reverence is interrupted by the often skeptical debates Antonio has with himself and with "God." The tone of the novel sometimes feels conflicted because Antonio himself is not sure how to feel. This alternation in tone points to Antonio’s growth into adulthood. It shows his simultaneous desire for the spiritual things he believes in to be real, and his growing doubts about either religion or Indigenous spirituality’s ability to explain the unkindness and messiness of adult life.
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