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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
Part 3, Chapter 27
Explanation and Analysis:
In Beloved, the tone shifts to reflect the perspective of the character featured at the time. These shifts allow readers to connect with the emotional state of these characters. For example, when the novel focuses on Denver, the tone is profoundly lonely and often fearful, either of losing Beloved, interacting with the outside world, or being killed by her mother.
Furthermore, the novel's attention to tone in flashbacks emphasizes that remembering the past requires characters to relive the emotions of that memory. When Sethe discusses her traumatic experiences with the Schoolteacher and his pupils, the tone elevates to a frenzy, leading her to repeat phrases or fixate on terrifying images, such as the mossy teeth of the boys. However, the novel also uses tone more positively to capture tender moments that endear characters to the reader. For example, at the end of the novel in Chapter 27, Paul D reconciles with Sethe and tries to inspire her to not give up on the present or herself:
“Sethe,” he says, “me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow.”
He leans over and takes her hand. With the other he touches her face. “You your best thing, Sethe. You are.” His holding fingers are holding hers.
The description of their soft touches and Paul D's careful balance between encouraging Sethe toward self-love while also emphasizing the possibility of a "we" inspires a tentative hopefulness in the reader for the future of these characters.
