Mood is the emotional atmosphere or feeling that a literary work evokes in the reader. It is created through setting, imagery, diction, and events, and it can be tense, eerie, joyful, melancholy, or calm.

Mood is distinct from tone, which is the writer's attitude. For example, a writer may adopt an ironic tone while creating a sombre mood. Mood shapes the reader's emotional experience and can reinforce theme and character development.

Key points

• Emotional atmosphere of a text
• Created through setting, imagery, and diction
• Distinct from tone
• Shapes reader response