First ... welcome to the Tolkien Forums. I am only a member here but if I can help in any way please don't hesitate to ask. I think you will enjoy the folks you meet here. They come from all over the world and are bound by one trait ... we all love JRR Tolkien and his works.
Second ... I hate to admit I'm a little lost by what you mean as "tone"?
Are you speaking of a narrative style or perspective ...?
Do you mean how the author speaks to certain readers? (such as "fantasy" fans vs "fairy tale" vs "mythological" fans) Or to clarify do you mean Tolkien's different literary style in targeting his readers? (such as "The Hobbit" meant for children or "The Lord of The Rings" meant for adults)
Or are you speaking about the author using certain words to create a "dark, fearful or evil" feeling in the reader (as Chapter V ~ "Riddles in the Dark") or as versus a more "happy-go-lucky" feeling (as in Chapter X ~ "A Warm Welcome")???
I am interested in understanding your point ... please amplify and clarify ...
Thank you,
And again "Welcome!"
Bear an Elf-Friend
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Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit Called or uncalled, God is present
I personally found that Tolkien uses many tones throughout his works, for this purpose I will discuss them in LOTR:
When making introductions between the reader and the Hobbits, the mode was light and child-like. Every descriptive in the Long Expected Party (when it came to the Shire) was wistful, playful and wholesome. While every descriptive in the Emyn Muil was harsh, dark, and lifeless. Stone and the desolation of that place and places such as the Morgul Vale for example were described with malice and foreboding. The tones (if we can call these contrasts tone) were blended seamlessly by character traits. One of the characters in the book would assume some of the narrative weight by describing how those contrasts made them feel. Mainly the Hobbits did this because of their role of innocence in the books. I think that the technique of 'tone' is a device used by all writers (again, if that is the true term for it).
If that is what you meant by 'tone' I think I can delve deeper into this topic when it comes to the Hobbit (as can every member here, I'm sure), but you must end the suspense!!!! It's killin' me.
MOOD: The mood of The Hobbit fluctuates between light and charming and dark and somber. The book starts with sunshine and good cheer at the outset of the adventure, shifts to dark, increasingly troublesome times with the encounters with the trolls, goblins, and spiders, becomes light again with the rescue from the elves, then passes through intense darkness and grief with the gold-lust of the dwarves and the Battle of Five Armies, before ending on a positive note. Within this general pattern are smaller swings in mood; dark passages often have some glint of hope and humor in them, and light passages are often tempered by a measure of foreboding. Indeed, The Hobbit alternates between light and dark continually, and the mood swings like a pendulum between these two extremes.
TONE: The narrators tone is light and casual, and he encourages his readers not to take his story too seriously by making frequent jokes at his characters expense. The narrators tone periodically becomes darker when the company faces great danger or defeat (as in the chapters taking place in Mirkwood), but for the most part, the story is brightly and warmly narrated.
Demontiger627....Wow! I'm sorry I missed introductions...You actually cut through the muck on that one. Welcome and well met friend. Mood is the word, indeed. I'm going to sit back and enjoy what you said. I would echo the words you put down if I had the scruples. Once again, welcome.
Demontiger, stories, from the dawn of time, were always meant to stir the senses. Just like a "Chick flick" will have parts that are driving some of us women to tears, while others make us thoughtful or happy or sad.
A good storyteller will pull on the heartstrings and make people feel as though they were actually there. In times of war and hopelessness, a good storyteller, will direct you toward times of good and hope in the lives of his audience. When soldiers sit around the campfire, they encourage each other with stories of valor and strength and heroism.
A good storyteller will always have a morale to his story to inspire those that listen. The different nuances in Tolkien's writing follows that in his books.
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Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! hop along! fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, Jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!
Using your discriptions of both mood and tone, obviously they directly effect each other. They go hand in hand to create a world that is emotionally stimulating, in both a light hearted and disturbing way, and easily relatable. Tolkien takes us by the hand, much like leading a child, and walks us through this fantastic world called Middle Earth. The combined effect of both mood and tone makes The Hobbit provoking and easy to read. Each part of the landscape and the nuances of characters adheres to our basic understanding of nature and human nature. The different tones in the story are expertly crafted to inspire the correct mood in the reader to not only allow us to accept, but immensley enjoy as well, the individual escapades, adventures and mishaps and the morality and grandure of the entire literary work. Tolkien was a master creator and an inspirational mega-mind. Between his extinsive education and his inate love for the natural world and an unwavering hero he gives his readers a sense of hope and inspires a little more faith in our fellow man.
