Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Thoughtful and Kind of Emo
Man, sometimes the world is just so beautiful you want to start bawling. Or at least that's the sense you get from O.E. Rölvaag's tone when he's describing the American prairies:
Bright, clear sky over a plain so wide that the rim of the heavens cut down on it around the entire horizon…. Bright clear sky, to-day, to-morrow, and for all time to come. (1.1.1.1)
Oh yeah, and we dare you to try counting all of the exclamation points Rölvaag uses throughout this book. These helpful little punctuation marks help show how much joy and frustration his characters feel throughout their journey. Elaine Benes would be proud.