How to avoid confusing author's attitude with reader's feeling 8th grade.

Question

Hey, I'm an 8th grader and sometimes when I'm reading, especially for English class, I totally mix up what the author is trying to *say* (their attitude) with how *I* feel about the topic. Like, if a story is sad, I feel sad, but does that mean the author's attitude is sad, or are they just trying to make *me* feel sad? It's confusing! 😬 How do I tell the difference and not get them mixed up? Any tips? 🤔

donaldmercado1985 · Accepted Answer

📚 Understanding Author's Attitude vs. Reader's Feeling

It's super common to mix these up, especially in 8th grade! Let's break down the key differences to help you become a master reader.

✍️ Author's Attitude (Tone): This refers to the author's personal stance, viewpoint, or feeling towards the subject they are writing about. It's their 'voice' and is revealed through their word choices, sentence structures, and overall style. Think of it as how the author feels about what they're telling you.
💖 Reader's Feeling (Mood): This is the emotional response *you*, the reader, experience while engaging with the text. It's how the story or article makes *you* feel – whether it's happy, sad, angry, excited, or thoughtful.

🧐 Why It's Easy to Confuse Them

The line between these two can get blurry, but understanding why helps you separate them.

🔗 Interconnectedness: Authors often *intend* to evoke certain feelings in readers to convey their attitude more effectively. This natural connection makes distinguishing them challenging.
🎭 Empathy Trap: When a story is particularly moving, readers can become so immersed that their own emotions overshadow their objective analysis of the author's craft and intent.
💬 Subjectivity vs. Objectivity: Your feelings are subjective and personal, while identifying the author's attitude requires a more objective analysis of textual evidence.

🔑 Core Principles for Clear Distinction

Use these powerful strategies to sharpen your analytical skills:

🔍 Analyze Word Choice (Diction): Pay close attention to specific adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. Do they convey anger, joy, skepticism, or neutrality? Words like 'despicable' vs. 'unfortunate' reveal different attitudes.
🗣️ Examine Sentence Structure: Short, choppy sentences might suggest urgency or frustration, while long, flowing sentences could indicate reverence or contemplation.
🖼️ Identify Imagery and Figurative Language: Metaphors, similes, and vivid descriptions can reveal the author's underlying feelings towards the subject. Is the description loving or critical?
🎯 Look for Authorial Intent: Ask yourself: "What message is the author trying to send? What point are they trying to make?" This helps uncover their attitude, which is usually tied to their purpose.
📏 Separate Yourself: Consciously take a step back from your emotional response. Acknowledge your feelings, but then pivot to analyzing the text itself for clues about the author's craft.
💡 Consider the Subject Matter: Sometimes the topic itself (e.g., injustice, triumph) will naturally lead to strong feelings, but the author's *approach* to it defines their attitude.
🧐 Context is King: Understand the historical, social, or cultural context in which the piece was written. This can shed light on the author's perspective and attitude.

🌍 Practical Examples for 8th Graders

Let's look at a few scenarios to see these principles in action:

📖 Example 1: A news article about a natural disaster.
- ✍️ Author's Attitude: The author might use factual, objective language, presenting statistics and survivor accounts without personal bias. Their attitude is likely informative, perhaps sympathetic but professional.
- 💖 Reader's Feeling: You, the reader, might feel sadness, fear, or compassion for the victims.
- ✅ Distinction: The author's factual reporting (attitude) is different from your emotional reaction (feeling) to the tragic events.
📜 Example 2: A persuasive essay arguing for environmental protection.
- ✍️ Author's Attitude: The author uses strong verbs and dire warnings about climate change, advocating for immediate action. Their attitude is passionate, urgent, and perhaps alarmist.
- 💖 Reader's Feeling: You might feel inspired to act, guilty about your own carbon footprint, or even overwhelmed by the scale of the problem.
- ✅ Distinction: The author's persuasive, urgent tone is their attitude. Your personal sense of guilt or inspiration is your feeling.
😂 Example 3: A humorous short story about school life.
- ✍️ Author's Attitude: The author uses witty dialogue, exaggerated situations, and lighthearted descriptions. Their attitude is playful, amused, and satirical.
- 💖 Reader's Feeling: You might feel amused, entertained, and laugh out loud.
- ✅ Distinction: The author's humorous writing style defines their attitude. Your laughter is your feeling.

🎉 Mastering the Art of Literary Analysis

Distinguishing between the author's attitude and your own feelings is a crucial skill for becoming a sophisticated reader and literary analyst. It helps you move beyond simply reacting to a text and instead, allows you to understand the author's craft and message on a deeper level. Keep practicing these techniques, and soon you'll be able to confidently identify both elements in any text you read!