Tone, Mood, and Atmosphere Flashcards

Grade 8 · English · Flashcards

Review the key vocabulary for analyzing tone, mood, atmosphere, and diction in literary texts.

Flashcards

Tone: The author's emotional attitude toward the subject — revealed through diction and style (e.g., sarcastic, solemn, hopeful).
Mood: The emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader — how the writing makes you feel.
Atmosphere: The overall emotional environment of a scene, built from setting, lighting, weather, and diction.
Diction: An author's deliberate word choices — the primary tool for shaping tone, mood, and atmosphere.
Connotation: The emotional associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning — what makes 'slunk' feel different from 'walked.'
Gothic: A literary atmosphere featuring dark settings, decay, mystery, and psychological horror.
Sarcastic tone: Mocking something by saying the opposite of what you mean with a cutting edge.
Solemn tone: Serious, grave, and dignified — often used for topics of death, loss, or weighty moral issues.
Irony: A gap between what is said and what is meant, or between expectation and reality.
Juxtaposition: Placing contrasting elements side by side to highlight differences and create emotional effect.
Imagery: Vivid sensory language that creates mental pictures contributing to mood and atmosphere.
Setting: The time and place of a story — a major tool for creating atmosphere and mood.