REA 0002 Chapter 9 Purpose and Tone Why Do Authors Write? To inform – to give information about a subject… To persuade – to convince a reader to.

REA 0002

Chapter 9

Purpose and Tone

Why Do Authors Write? To inform – to give information about a

subject… To persuade – to convince a reader to

agree with the author’s point of view on a subject…

To entertain – to amuse and delight; to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination…

Example Football players make a great deal of

money. Many young people feel that they too, can make it big in the NFL. It would be better if young people had a better role model than some of these big player who make big bucks. Owners should not pay them that much money.

Example Thanksgiving Day is a holiday that our

country has been celebrating for many years. President Lincoln set the fourth Thursday of November as the official day for this holiday. It was done at the request of Mrs. Sarah Hale. As a side note, Mrs. Sarah Hale wrote the rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”.

Example My brother has made a commitment to

only eat three meals a day. His definition of a meal is as broad as his belly. If we spot a pretzel salesman or a hot-dog stand on our way to a restaurant, for example, he is not beyond suggesting that we stop. “It’ll make a good appetizer,” he says.

Practice Inform, persuade, entertain

As Americans have grown more health-conscious, the menus in school cafeterias have begun to change.

Inform

Practice Nurses assigned to intensive care

units should be given shorter shifts and higher pay because the work is unusually demanding and stressful.

Persuade

Practice It’s easy to quite smoking; I’ve done it

hundreds of times. Entertain The career of a professional athlete is

usually quite short. Inform Fred believes in a seafood diet: When he

sees food, he eats it. Entertain

Practice More women should get involved in local

politics and support the growing number of female candidates for public office.

Persuade An artificial odor is added to natural gas so

that people can tell whether or not gas is leaking.

Inform

Practice Shoparama has low, low prices, an

outstanding selection of health and beauty products, and a convenient location near you.

Persuade In ancient Egypt, priests plucked all the hair

from their bodies including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

Inform

Author’s Tone Authors reveal the attitude he or she

has toward a subject. Tone is expressed through the words

and details that the writer selects. Just like a speaker’s voice can project a

range of feelings, a writer’s voice can project one or more tones or feelings:

Anger, sympathy, sadness, dislike etc.

Examples “I just shot my husband five times in the

chest with this .357 Magnum.” “How could I ever have killed him? I just

can’t believe I did that!” “Oh, my God. I’ve murdered my husband.

How can I ever be forgiven for this dreadful deed?”

“That dirty rat. He’s had it coming for years. I’m glad I finally had the nerve to do it.”

Words That Describe Tone

Give an example of these tones. Admiring Doubtful Praising Worried Conceited curious

Practice This place may be shabby, but since

both of my children were born while we lived here, it has a special place in my heart.

Sentimental This isn’t the greatest apartment in the

world, but it’s not really that bad. tolerant

Practice If only there were some decent jobs

out there, I wouldn’t be reduced to living in this miserable dump.

Bitter This place does need some repairs,

but I’m sure the landlord will be making improvements sometime soon.

optimistic

Practice When we move away, we’re planning

to release three hundred cockroaches and two mice so we can leave the place exactly as we found it.

Humorous

Irony A commonly used tone is irony. When

writing something that is ironic, it says one thing, but means the opposite.

Irony is also found in a situation in which what happens is opposite of what we would expect.

If a person is clumsy, someone might say.. “There goes an Olympic champion.”

Examples Helen won a lifetime supply of Marlboros a

week after she quit smoking. Albert Einstein, one of the century’s most

brilliant scientists, did poorly in school. When Beethoven wrote the Ninth

Symphony, considered his greatest work, he was totally deaf.

Thanksgiving vacation will soon be here, and I am very sad that we will not be having classes for a couple of days.

Practice What is the purpose of each of the following: A newspaper Inform A mystery novel Entertain An editorial Persuade

Fill in the Blank The author’s reason for writing

something is called the __________ of a selection.

The tone of a selection reveals the author’s ____________ toward his or her subject.

An ironic comment is one that means the _________ of what is said.

Tones Imagine a bad morning when

everything goes wrong…there is no hot water for the shower, milk for the cereal is sour, a pool of oil is under the car, and so on. Which of the following would be an ironic comment on the situation.

A. “What a lousy start to the day.”

B. “What a great day this is going to be.”

C. “Good grief. What did I do to deserve this?”

A ( forgiving, critical, matter-of-fact) ___________ tone reveals no personal feeling.

An arrogant tone suggests that the speaker or writer – Is angry.– Looks on the unfavorable side of things.– Thinks a lot of himself or herself.

An objective tone indicates that the speaker or writer is telling something

A. dishonestly.

B. without personal prejudice.

C. with a longing for something in the past.

Group Work In your groups, do Review Tests 1, 2,

and 3. (Pp 359 – 363)

Homework….Study for vocabulary, & Purpose and

Tone Quiz…Combined Skills Test 3 and 4 pp 540 -

543