The Relationship between Tone and Theme

The theme of a work of fiction can be likened to its message, the meaning of the piece, while tone is the manner in which the message is relayed.

Following are two descriptions of virtually the same occurrence. Note, if you will, the depictions, the language, and the feeling each evokes.

(1) The brown pelican, a solitary sentry on his lonely outpost, watched the gathering storm with sad resignation and nervous dread, knowing the discomfort of wind and cold rain to come. He scarcely dared hope to survive.

(2) The brown pelican, certain of his own worth, saw the storm clouds gather, fiercely delighting in his ability to withstand their force, no matter how strong the wind or cold the rain to come. He knew without doubt that he would live to tell the tale.

Each of the two descriptions above has a lone pelican regarding an anticipated weather event. In comparing the tone of each, totally different attitudes are revealed. And even without much more to the story, two separate themes begin to emerge: (1) fatalism in the bird vs. nature and (2) heroism the in bird vs. nature.

When analyzing written works, it is a good idea to notice the way the message is expressed. Once the reader has picked up on the tone of the author, the theme, the main idea of the work, is often easier to determine. In Pelican 1, the theme might turn out to be the indifference of nature to a bird’s comfort zone. In Pelican 2, the theme could turn out to be the great and thrilling challenge of a bird facing his environment.

Maybe there is even a story somewhere about a brown pelican during two times when a storm was coming in, once a resigned bird and later a strong one or the other way around, depending on the events and the evolving character of the bird.

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten, not 10!