Tone / Mood

Tone is a reflection of the speakers attitude towards the subject of a specific work and mood is the feeling that a reader receives as a result of the tone from said work. Tone and mood are the emotional backbones of a work and they are created through a writers specific stylistic choices. In the poem Daddy by Sylvia Plath, as I stated in my previous blog, she used very melancholy and grim words to set the somber mood of the poem. And her aggressive tone can be revealed through her angry language such as "Daddy, daddy you bastard" and her repetition of "I'm through."

Diction

Diction is essentially the choice of words by an author to convey a specific meaning. Words can have many different meanings and associations beyond their literal definition so precise combinations of words and phrases can add hidden and alter meanings to a poem. Authors work very hard when writing, especially poetry, to find the perfect words to create the base on which they can lay their message on top of. In the poem Daddy by Sylvia Plath she uses the phrases "black man" , "a man in black" , "black telephone" and "fat black heart." The repetition of the word "black" reveals her sadness that is haunted by darkness and her use of such grim and bleak words add to the darkness.

Imagery / Figurative Language

Imagery creates appeal to any of the five senses through verbal description of sensory experiences. Figurative language is simply language that is not literal. Figurative language can also sometimes be referred to as metaphorical language because it explains and expands on an idea by comparing it to something else. In the poem The Bagel by David Ignatow, he makes use of simple words and descriptions such as..
"Bent low, gritting my teeth,
and I found myself doubled over
and rolling down the street"
This creates an easy appeal to the reader that allows them to create a mental image that connects them to the poem. And the use of such undemanding language adds to the playfulness and lightness of the poem that creates effortless enjoyment.