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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:
Kincaid never explicitly states the relationship between the speaker and the girl, but the tone, as well as the subject of the advice and references to "your father," leave no doubt that these two characters are mother and daughter. The speaker, Mother, is didactic, chiding, and brusque. She expects only disappointment from the girl (“the slut I know you are so bent on becoming”). Her tone, as she lays out the rules for womanhood, brooks no argument; most of her sentences begin with “Don’t […]” or “This is how [...].” The girl’s first interruption (“But I don’t sing benna on Sundays”) is ignored, and her second and final interruption is met with incredulity:
You mean to say after all that you are really going to be the kind of woman the baker won’t let near the bread?
Phrases like “after all that,” “really,” and “you know” imply Mother’s perpetual exasperation and displeasure. The rules she delivers are ones she knows intimately already, and she is impatient for the girl to catch up to her. In general, the tone conveys urgency, dismissal of the girl’s concerns, and harsh judgment on all her behavior, from squatting to play marbles like a boy to slouching on Sundays.
However, ungenerous as she might be, Mother’s tone is not unloving. The purpose of all her instruction and judgment is the girl’s betterment; she sees herself as providing an essential service for the girl’s survival. Mother foresees a sad life of ostracism for the girl if she fails to meet the requirements for proper womanhood. Her harshness is offset by more gentle qualifiers:
This is how to love a man, and if this doesn’t work there are other ways, and if they don’t work don’t feel too bad about giving up.
In this instance, Mother understands and accepts that the girl might fail, and she instructs her to accept failure. In turn, her tone comes across a bit more softly, as she clearly wants the best for her daughter.
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