The Count ofThe Count of Monte Cristo Monte Cristo

by: Alexandre

Dumas

Jessy Schroeder

The Count of Monte CristoToneTone

Alexandre Dumas’ tone and attitude towards The Count of Monte Cristo were that he was slightly detached from the story. Although he tells a

thrillingly novel of struggle and revenge, Dumas only stated the

events and scenes without describing thoroughly how each character felt during what they experienced in the

novel.

The Count of Monte CristoImageryImagery

Imagery was a key factor in The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas used imagery

to attentively describe Marseilles, Paris, Italy, and the carnival that Albert

de Morcef, Franz, and the Count attended, as well as thoroughly engaging the reader by perfectly describing Dante’s scenery as he

searched for the hidden treasure on the mountainous island of Monte

Cristo.

The Count of Monte CristoVoiceVoice

Alexandre Dumas chose to narrate his story of the life of the Count of Monte Cristo by using a third person point of view. Although all of the details of the

story were told by this anonymous narrator, Dumas decided to not let the readers into the character’s minds or

let them know of the thoughts and feelings of each character. The reader must infer from what they have read

how each character felt.

The Count of Monte CristoIronyIrony

Although there was not much irony used in Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo I still believe that it was ironic that even though the characters that

strived so hard to cut off Dantes’ from his good luck for their own happiness, the three traitors still ended up making Dantes truly happy in the end when he got to act revenge on them. Even after all of their hard work to make their own

lives perfect, they had actually been setting up their own downfalls.

The Phantom ofThe Phantom of the Opera the Opera

by: Gaston

Leroux

The Phantom of the OperaToneTone

Gaston Leroux’s tone in the novel is a large reason The Phantom of the

Opera turned out how it did. The novel is set up as if he is a journalist

researching to find out if the story of the Opera Ghost is true or not.

Therefore, I would say that his tone and attitude towards the story are that he is intrigued. He is deeply involved in

finding out about how the characters “felt” and all of their motivations for

doing what they did. Leroux pretends to have researched the event thoroughly by reading various

“memoirs” of the characters and having “interviewed” a few of them as well. The story, therefore, is organized

how it is on account of the tone that Leroux decided to take.

The Phantom of the OperaImageryImagery

What truly brings Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera together is the in depth imagery used to describe the ominous graveyard scene, the detailed past of when Raoul and Christine first met, and of the beautiful Paris Opera

House. Not only were the upper (main) levels of the Opera House thoroughly

described, but the lower levels of Erik’s lair were also given full time to be

explained. From the description of the baneful, dark lake in front of Erik’s

house, to the terrifying torture chamber outside the window of Christine’s

“room”, Leroux used his good skills of describing a scene to better his novel.

The Phantom of the OperaVoiceVoice

It is difficult to describe the voice that Leroux decided to take in The

Phantom of the Opera. While most of the story is told through a third person point of view, it is also written in first person as well. Leroux acts as the

narrator throughout the novel (referring to himself only about once a chapter)

but tells the story in a detached manner. He also hands the reader several “memoirs” throughout the

novel that are told from the point of view of their own writer as well as

allowing the Persian to tell his side of the story through his own eyes for two

of the final chapters.

The Phantom of the OperaIronyIrony

Although it could be said that it was ironic that Christine’s father told her

stories of the Angel of Music while Erik posed as the true Angel of Music later

in Christine’s life, or that Raoul and Christine discovered their love for each other as children but did not act on this

love until they had found each other again many years later, I would just call of it a coincidence. There is no true irony in The Phantom of the

Opera, and if there were, it would be difficult to find. But that is what made the story all the better. In the end, it

was told straight with no unnecessary complications added.