The tone of Wheeler essay took many shifts. At first descriptive, where longer sentences and lots of adjectives were used. He spoke in a flowing, almost rushed pattern. Intermediately breaking up the flow with strategic pauses between the many lists he uses.

The tone shifts dramatically with the introduction of his sister. Much blander, serious diction is used here. Some shorter sentences are thrown in with the very descriptive sentences and the many lists.

Later, the speaking style moves to a more honest tone. When he goes through the story of how his sister “got sick,” or how he was convincing his mother is was suicide, he is not describing. Rather, he tries to match the tone or situation with his delivery. He uses a far more honest tone. The inflections are far and few in-between. The pauses feel a lot more dramatic and the tone shifts by sentence from “somber reality,” to a “trying to convince.” Now he is portraying emotion, almost like it’s (the character’s) first time working through the story.

By the last few sentences he has dropped all inflection and only pauses when necessary. The music, adding much needed space, was taking a backseat the whole time. Yet by the end, has risen to the front and now guides the emotional responses.

I would like to write like he does in the beginning. Very easy to read. Lists like “rips and sticks and stains and cuts and missing chunks.”(2:24) Its really cool to hear that being read vs. reading it. While, my piece does not have the gravity that this one does, the same tone shifts are applicable. The introduction is more light, then the heavier material come barreling after it. I’d like to get the same personal descriptive tone out of mine, like someone just asked me to “describe it all” without order.