Lesson 3: Diction, Tone, and Mood

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and examples related to diction, tone, and mood.

Diction

The poet’s deliberate choice and use of words and phrases to convey meaning, tone, and atmosphere in a poem.

Sensory Imagery

Language that appeals to the five senses, helping readers visualize and experience the poem more deeply.

Tone

The poet’s attitude or emotional stance toward the poem’s subject, which can be positive (celebratory, joyful) or negative (sad, somber).

Mood

The emotional atmosphere created in a poem; the feeling evoked in readers after they read it.

Poem A (Louie Buenaventura)

A stanza that uses soft, gentle diction (“gentle whisper,” “pure and kind”) to create a blissful, uplifting tone and mood.

Poem B (Louie Buenaventura)

A stanza that uses dark, intense diction (“loud whisper,” “broken and torn”) to create a somber, painful tone and mood.

Gentle Diction

Word choices that are soft, mild, or soothing, often producing a positive, peaceful tone.

Dark Diction

Word choices that are harsh, intense, or ominous, often producing a negative, tense tone.

Structural Context

The framework within which a literary text is analyzed, including how diction, tone, and mood express individual or communal values.