Mood

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Mood
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Mood

• Definition
• The feeling or impression the author creates with
  his writing
• Also refers to the feelings the reader has about
  the characters or setting in a story
• Mood can be identified by analyzing the setting
  of a story and by analyzing the characters
  actions and dialogue

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Identifying Mood through Characters Words
Actions

• Readers need to recognize/analyze the following
• Situation in which the character is involved
• Characters reactions to the situation
• Characters reactions to other characters
• Characters body language
• Characters tone of voice
• What the characters say to and about others
• The characters thoughts and emotions

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Identifying Mood through Analyzing Setting

• Writers often select/create a setting that will
  impart the mood they wish to instill in their
  readers
• Writers will use a variety of imagery devices to
  vividly describe the setting so that readers can
  picture in their minds how the setting looks,
  smells, sounds, etc. sensory details, simile,
  metaphor, personification

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Words to Describe Mood

• Just about any word that can describe an emotion
  can describe the mood in a story. The following
  list is just some examples

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Steps to Identifying Mood

• Identify the situationwhat is the character
  doing?
• Find the key words and phrases that show the
  characters reactions to the situation
• Ask yourself What mood is shown by the
  characters reactions?

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Why Mood Matters

• Mood is an important literary element because it
  influences the way readers feel about what they
  are reading.
• Mood can draw a reader into a story and can
  compel a reader to continue to read.