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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
Chapter Twenty-Five: Competition in Cunning
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone is intimate, honest, and straightforward. For example, in chapter 25, Jacobs describes how Grandmother allows her to walk around in the shed at night instead of staying inside the garret at all times:
I had tried various applications to bring warmth and feeling into my limbs, but without avail. They were so numb and stiff that it was a painful effort to move; and had my enemies come upon me during the first mornings I tried to exercise them a little in the small unoccupied space of the storeroom, it would have been impossible for me to have escaped.
This tiny bit of movement is a big deal, but Jacobs does not describe being overly grateful for it. Instead, she draws attention to her physical experience in a way that was quite intimate for a woman writing at this time. Women were not supposed to draw attention to their bodies, but here she is forthright and describes the feeling in her "numb and stiff" limbs. This intimacy helps the reader better imagine the stakes of Jacobs's book: trying to escape from enslavement involves horrible and extended physical discomfort. It is not as simple as running away.
While she does not emphasize a sense of gratitude toward Grandmother, Jacobs also does not spend much time describing the emotional agony of being in physical pain. Her tone in this passage is more matter-of-fact than sentimental. Although Jacobs sometimes takes an emotional tone, she is also careful not to overshadow the facts of her experience with emotion. She allows the details of her account to speak for themselves. By giving readers clear examples of the horrifying situations she has experienced, Jacobs arms readers with convincing evidence in favor of abolition.
Related Themes:
