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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
Second Entry
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone at the beginning of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is anxious yet optimistic. Jane is nervous about her illness (it’s implied that she’s suffering from postpartum depression) but still hopeful that she will be cured. However, as the story progresses, the tone becomes darker, reflecting her anger and misery.
Jane begins the story as an articulate narrator who's still in control of her mind. She worries about her depression, but she is still able to enjoy her life. Sitting by the window of her new room, she takes in the beautiful view and describes it in her second diary entry:
Out of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deep-shaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house.
The room in which Jane sits is unwelcoming and unnerving: its windows are barred shut, the bed is bolted down, and there is major damage to the walls. Moreover, she is worried about her illness. Nevertheless, the story’s tone at this point is hopeful and appreciative. Despite her situation, Jane is able to admire nature, like the garden, the bay, and the “beautiful shaded lane.” Additionally, she may disagree with her husband, John’s, course of treatment (he believes that isolating her in a room will cure her depression), but she is somewhat optimistic that he will help her recover.
However, the slightly optimistic tone gives way to a much bleaker attitude that reflects Jane’s gradual descent into madness. As her seclusion in the room begins to take a toll, she considers extreme measures to escape her situation, which she expresses in her twelfth entry:
I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise but the bars are too strong even to try.
Jane goes from admiring her view to contemplating suicide as a means to escape her mental and physical captivity. She has lost all hope of returning to normalcy—John’s cure is not only ineffective but is actually making her illness worse. When she has control over her mind, her tone is confused, frightened, and miserable. When she loses control, her tone is agitated, hopeless, and desperate.
Related Themes:
Twelfth Entry
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone at the beginning of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is anxious yet optimistic. Jane is nervous about her illness (it’s implied that she’s suffering from postpartum depression) but still hopeful that she will be cured. However, as the story progresses, the tone becomes darker, reflecting her anger and misery.
Jane begins the story as an articulate narrator who's still in control of her mind. She worries about her depression, but she is still able to enjoy her life. Sitting by the window of her new room, she takes in the beautiful view and describes it in her second diary entry:
Out of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deep-shaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house.
The room in which Jane sits is unwelcoming and unnerving: its windows are barred shut, the bed is bolted down, and there is major damage to the walls. Moreover, she is worried about her illness. Nevertheless, the story’s tone at this point is hopeful and appreciative. Despite her situation, Jane is able to admire nature, like the garden, the bay, and the “beautiful shaded lane.” Additionally, she may disagree with her husband, John’s, course of treatment (he believes that isolating her in a room will cure her depression), but she is somewhat optimistic that he will help her recover.
However, the slightly optimistic tone gives way to a much bleaker attitude that reflects Jane’s gradual descent into madness. As her seclusion in the room begins to take a toll, she considers extreme measures to escape her situation, which she expresses in her twelfth entry:
I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise but the bars are too strong even to try.
Jane goes from admiring her view to contemplating suicide as a means to escape her mental and physical captivity. She has lost all hope of returning to normalcy—John’s cure is not only ineffective but is actually making her illness worse. When she has control over her mind, her tone is confused, frightened, and miserable. When she loses control, her tone is agitated, hopeless, and desperate.
Related Themes:
