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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
Volume 1, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone of Northanger Abbey is teasing and ironic. The narrator—who is often called an "intrusive narrator"—pokes fun at nearly every character. Take, for example, the very first line of Volume 1, Chapter 1:
No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her father and mother; her own person and disposition, were all equally against her.
Here, the narrator mocks Catherine for her averageness, but the question remains: why is she the protagonist? Shouldn't the main character of a novel be interesting or remarkable? The narrator's mocking, tongue-in-cheek tone at the very outset of the novel suggests that one should not mythologize average people, but one should also realize that there is a delight and wonder to be found (or artistically excavated) in every sort of human experience. The narrator always teases the characters but never insults them. The tone thus remains light and humorous and never becomes didactic. Catherine's excitement of becoming friends with Isabella, and her thrill at falling in love with Henry, and the joys and fears of each stage of her journey, comprise the greatest experiences of her life so far. That being said, she makes such a big deal out of every experience and often lets her imagination run wild, and this largely justifies the narrator's humorous, satirical tone, which often calls attention to Catherine's naivety.
Related Themes:
