Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Calm, Measured, and Straightforward
There's a pasta tsunami in this book!
The village appears doomed!
And yet the writing remains calm, measured, and straightforward throughout. What's up with that?
Well, the first lines of the story tell us that the events took place "a long time ago" (7). With this kind of distance from the drama, it makes sense for the narrator to be matter-of-fact in the telling of the story. This tone helps to give us the feeling that this story has been told and retold a thousand times over, as traditional folktales often are. So to some extent, the narrator's tone reflects the fact that Strega Nona is a bonafide folktale. But that's not the only reason our narrator is so calm.
The tone of the story also reflects the wisdom and tranquility of the title character, Strega Nona herself. Her presence in the narrative lends a certain calm to the events, and we know that once she shows up (as we're certain she will), everything will be okay. Her sage smile and calm posture as she arrives back in the village confirm this fact (29). And that's why at the climax of the story, in the midst of monster waves of pasta overtaking the town center, we don't see a single exclamation point (28-30).