MOOD or ATMOSPHERE
The term mood or atmosphere are both used to refer to the same concept: how the author
makes YOU feel when you are reading a story.
If you feel happy, sad, frightened or worried, it is because the writer intends for you to
feel that way about certain situations or characters in the story.
The author creates the mood through
1. Setting
2. Characters
3. Theme
4. Description, details, word choice
TONE
The term tone refers to how the author feels about the subject matter that he/she is writing
about.
Usually the reader can get a sense of the author’s attitude or tone in a story based on
1. language used
2. the outcome of the plot
3. the reaction of the characters
Generally, the tone of an author can be described by using an adjective. A few might include
serious, sarcastic, comical, lighthearted, critical, etc.
POINT OF VIEW – NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE
This term refers to how a story is told. The author takes on a “persona” or voice to tell his or her
story through a narrator. There are 3 different POINTS OF VIEW from which stories are told.
FIRST PERSON
The narrator refers to him/herself as “I”.
The narrator is inside the story.
The viewpoint is limited to what the narrator knows, experiences or perceives.
The narrator CANNOT tell the thoughts and feelings of others.
The narrator can be in only one place at a time.
The narrator can only be in one place at one time.
THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT The story is told using third person pronouns “he”, “she” or “they”.
Narrator is outside the story.
The narrator knows everything; he or she controls the characters
and controls what information is revealed to the reader. “God-like”
Does not refer to himself, does tell the thoughts and feelings of
others.
This type of narrator is more accurate and objective. Often tells
the reader much more than any other type of narrator.
THIRD PERSON LIMITED
The story is told using third person pronouns “he”, “she” or “they”.
The narrative is limited to only what the narrator knows,
experiences, observes, etc.
The narrator does not reveal thoughts and feelings of others.
The narrator is outside the world of the story.
That narrator may be in more than one place at a time.