Words to Describe Mood: 5 Mood Examples in Literature

Mood is a literary device that defines the emotional vocabulary of a story. Readers should feel the mood when reading a novel, book, or short story, and the mood of a story will generally remain consistent from chapter to chapter to create a cohesive narrative. The mood of a piece of writing is the atmosphere of a piece and the overall feeling it conveys to the reader, while tone signifies an author's point of view.

Many aspects of a story can set the mood, such as the author’s attitude and the descriptive word choices of adjectives, adverbs, figurative language, and more that evoke a feeling. Mood can range as wildly as emotions, which is why some books have a jubilant connotation, such as Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss, and others are more morose, like The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta.

Mood words are helpful for the author and reader. For the author, using positive mood words or negative mood words supports the worldbuilding process. For example, the opening line of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is “It was a dark and stormy night.” The adjectives “dark” and “stormy” lend a gently haunting quality to the story.

Emotion words also clue readers into the different moods of a piece. Words will help the reader establish their state of mind while moving through a work. For example, if a work has an overall chipper energy, readers will know something significant is happening when the story suddenly shifts to a more melancholy mood.

You could use almost any adjective to describe the mood of a literary work if it fits. See below for a handful of moods plus examples of authors or books you might associate with them:

1. 1. Bittersweet: Readers might describe books that warm the heart but have sad elements as bittersweet. Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany are two books with bittersweet subject matters.
2. 2. Romantic: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is about class differences but also has a romantic mood that allows readers to root for particular characters’ feelings for others. André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name, which takes place in Italy in the summertime, is a novel in which romance fills the air.
3. 3. Trustful: Works are sometimes confessional, as is Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, which begins with the line, “You better not tell nobody but God.” This opening line sets the mood that the narrator holds the reader close and trusts them.
4. 4. Whimsical: Children’s books often feature humorous, bubbly, and whimsical moods to enhance a young reader’s experience. The works of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein are prime examples.
5. 5. Yearning: A yearning mood can be melancholic. Kazuo Ishiguro’s characters feel a great longing in two of his most well-known works, The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go.

Become a better writer with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Neil Gaiman, Walter Mosley, Margaret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, Dan Brown, and more.