The term that refers to the attitude or emotion of the author toward his subject is which?

• A. Tone
• B. Mood
• C. Theme
• D. Voice

Answer: (A)

Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject, shown through word choice, details, and how sentences are arranged. It tells you how the writer feels about what they’re writing about—whether they’re serious, humorous, skeptical, hopeful, or ironic. Mood, by contrast, is the feeling the text creates in the reader. Theme is the underlying message or idea about life or humanity. Voice refers to the writer’s distinct personality as expressed in style, which can influence tone and mood but is not the same thing. For example, a grave, formal tone uses sober language to convey seriousness, while a playful, witty tone uses light diction and clever phrasing to convey levity.