Period 5 Class Blog- Tues 10/10/17

       In class today, we began with the objective of comparing character tone and text tone. To do this we used an example from No Country for Old Men, with the tone created by Anton Chirgurh as a character compared to the tone of the entire movie. In this case, the two were very similar, both being a suspenseful and somewhat dreary tone. However, this is not always the case. The class watched a scene from The Office today, and students with their backs against the window were to analyze text tone, and students facing the window were to analyze character tone. In this scene, which was the opening scene for the Dundies Awards, the character tone of Michael was formal, but the text tone was casual, and this contradiction allowed for a comedic effect. Some other character tones were: Earnest(Michael was sincere and very involved when rapping), Overzealous(Intensely devoted to the award show), Demanding(Loud music for attention), and Frustrated(Angry when Dwight plays sounds and when the music cuts out). Some text tones that were shown were: Uneasy(Michael's jokes made people uncomfortable), Condemnatory(Disapproval of Michael's rap, jokes and decisions, Cringey(Awkward jokes, awkward moment with Stanley), and Casual(Setting of Chili’s). The class also discussed how factors that contribute to tone are on a continuum, not binary. The examples were as follows:

-Context: Sincerity and Irony

-Audience: Formal and Casual

-Attitude: Negative and Positive

With this new knowledge, I will be able to more accurately determine tone within any text or film. For example, I am on the Breaking Bad episode "Problem Dog" (S4:E7), and I have noticed both sides of each of the three spectrums listed above. At times, Walter White is sincere in what he says, but other times he must include irony or just plain lies in order to keep his new identity as a meth cook a secret. When he must meet with kingpins of the drug game, Walter and the other men each take on a formal tone, for they are discussing important business matters. From the text tone point of view, a casual tone takes place because they do not get too dressed up or meet in too classy of a spot. Lastly, negative and positive tone fluctuate massively throughout the episode. When Walter is home with his son, he always tries to please him. In this specific episode, he buys him a new car. The tone becomes way more negative when Walter returns to his hidden lab and must undergo the stress of being watched and threatened with his life at all times.