Tone/Mood

Tone is shown through diction and is very important in a poem because it influences the poem's mood, which in turn influences the reader's interpretation of the poem. For example, in "Daddy" by Slyvia Plath, the tone is very resentful, bitter, and regretful. Grasping the poem's tone and mood prevents misunderstanding the poem. Because of the tone in this poem, it is made clear to the reader that this is a very serious poem and allows the reader to understand the speaker's inner struggles.

Diction

Diction, or an author's choice of words, influences the sound of a poem, which influences the poem's tone, which influences the poem's mood and the reader's interpretation of the poem. In Ozymandias, for example, the author starts off by using very delicate words, such as "antique" and "sculptor," which gives the poem a feeling of remembrance and thoughtfulness. Then, when the king is quoted, the words become stronger and a tonal shift occurs. The words in the quote connote power and dominance, which affect the tone. But then the words become quiet again in the last few lines, emphasizing time's subtle dominance over everything, even things as mighty as King Ozymandias.

Imagery/Figurative Language

In the poem "Pondering," E.E. Cummings, uses such vague language that it is difficult for the reader to decipher what he really means, but the reader is still able to obtain clear imgages from the author's descriptions. For example, "motheaten forum" (2) is an example of imagery because it paints the picture of a very old, dusty, neglected place and contributes to the setting of the poem. The personification of the stone is an example of figurative language because stone cannot literally cling to anything, but it implies a desperate and pitiful state.