How to Write a Tone Analysis Essay

Be honest and critical in your tone analysis essay.

If you are taking AP English in high school, you have probably been asked to write a tone analysis essay. These essays are most often demanded on the AP English language and literature exam taken by high school seniors.

Things You'll Need

• Poem or short story
• Dictionary and thesaurus
• Handbook of rhetorical terms

Instructions

Prepare

1. Read the prompt. Your teacher or test will usually provide a prompt for your tone analysis essay. This short paragraph explains how you should focus your essay and what elements you must include. Mark the key words in the prompt, such as whose tone (author, character or speaker) you should analyze, what techniques you must discuss (diction, image, detail, syntax, language, poetic structure, figurative language and/or symbol) and any other clues about the piece (time period, author information and/or hints). If you are not in a testing situation, look up unfamiliar words and literary elements in the dictionary or a rhetorical terms handbook.

2. Read the passage or poem for a basic understanding of the content. Mark any confusing sections with a question mark. Underline or circle any words or phrases that seem unusual or important.

3. Read the passage again and divide the passage into sections according to tones. Draw a line to indicate a shift in tone and label the tones in the margin. Remember, tone refers to the attitude expressed by the author, speaker or character toward the topic at hand. Tone shifts most often occur at paragraph or stanza breaks, but they could also appear in the middle of a paragraph or stanza. Look carefully for transition words that indicate a shift, such as "but" or "however."

4. Mark the words and phrases within each tone section that express the attitude you have identified. In the margin nearby, write short notes about what the words and phrases mean, why they are important, what they represent on a larger scale, why the author used them instead of other words or questions you might have. These notes should be very short, abbreviated and just what you need to remember your thoughts. Label those techniques required by the prompt.

5. Think about the overall message of the passage. What does the author want you to think or believe after reading it? This idea is the theme of the passage and should be universal, debatable, logical and provable using evidence from the passage. Write the theme of the passage at the bottom of the page. Several answers are usually possible.

Drafting, Revising and Editing

1. Write the introduction. The introduction for a tone analysis essay (timed, AP style) should be short, smart and effective. Start with an interesting perspective or knowledge that you have about the author, piece or topic. Introduce the author, title and theme of the piece. You can mention in general the shifting of tones, but do not list the tones you will analyze. Most effective introductions end with the theme statement and flow nicely into the first body paragraph.

2. Write a body paragraph for each tone. Start with the first tone section from the passage and move chronologically through the piece. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that identifies the tone and connects it to the larger theme of the piece. Consider why the author/speaker/character has the attitude he does and how the overall message relates to that individual tone. Choose the best examples from your annotations and include them as evidence to support your assertion. Incorporate the quotes into your own sentences that show how they are used in the passage and how they work to create the tone. You might first explain the literal meaning of the quote. Then, discuss the figurative, connotative meanings of the quote. What does the quote mean under the surface? Why did the author choose this word or phrase rather than another? How does this quote relate to the theme, if it does? Be honest in your analysis. If a phrase from the passage seems awkward, say so and then analyze why the author might have made it awkward on purpose. This essay is not a place for your personal criticism of the author, but it should demonstrate your critical thinking skills. Can you see beyond the surface of a piece of writing, read between the lines and determine what the author is really saying?

3. Include several good examples for each tone, and analyze each example thoroughly (three or more sentences). At the end of each body paragraph, transition to the next body paragraph by introducing the tone shift from the passage. How or why is the tone changing at this point in the content?

4. Write the conclusion to tie the whole paper together. Revisit the theme you have discussed in your introduction and body paragraphs. What further implications can you make about the topic or author? Can you respond to a philosophical question that the passage raises? Can you relate the topic to a historical or contemporary event or another piece of literature? Do not discuss any personal connections, as such commentary would disrupt the formal tone of the piece and stray from your purpose.

5. Re-read the entire piece to see that your theme ideas are consistent, that your evidence makes sense, that your topic sentences clearly define your paragraphs and that your evidence addresses all the requirements of the prompt.

6. Show respect for the class and your instructor by revising and editing your paper if you have extra time. Try not to turn it in too early as it makes other students feel as though they need to rush. It also might imply to your instructor that you are not interested in your own work.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid repeating the same tone word, use a thesaurus to practice using alternatives.

• These instructions apply to most tone analysis prompts. Some prompts or passages are more complicated than others, and some require different organization. For example, if you receive two poems and must compare and contrast the tones of the two pieces, you will need to consider different structures, such as whether you will discuss each poem separately or combine them together under common tones.

• These instructions are no substitute for the instructions and advice of your classroom teacher. Always follow the instructions your teacher gives you in class for your individual assignment.

Resources

• College Board: English Literature
• Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab