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Style
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
Stave 1
Explanation and Analysis:
A Christmas Carol has a very strong narrative voice. The third-person narrator provides lengthy descriptions and moralizing judgments. Usually, a third-person omniscient narrator allows readers to understand and sympathize with the protagonist. However, in this story, the narrator refuses to sympathize with Scrooge. The narrator's initial portrait of Scrooge is tinged with a disapproving tone, as it becomes clear that the narrator frowns upon Scrooge's coldhearted ways:
A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog-days; and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas.
Although the narrator remains unnamed, the narrative voice dominates the story, offering opinions about Scrooge's tale and providing a very detailed account of Scrooge's transformation. The narrator is also quite funny and manages to interweave humor with serious moral lessons. As a result, the overall tone of A Christmas Carol sets forth a mixture of wit, humor, irony, and genuine feeling, as it's clear that the narrator not only cares about the idea of treating people well but also about the state of Scrooge's soul—that is, the narrator is invested in Scrooge's transformation, and this investment manifests itself in a disapproving tone when Scrooge behaves badly and a favorable tone when he manages to change for the better.
Related Themes:
