122 Tone Words to Set the Mood in Your Story

122 Tone Words to Set the Mood in Your Story SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips In writing, an author’s tone is his or her general attitude or feelings about the work’s subject matter and audience. Tone words are used to help express that attitude. In this article, we’ll talk about what tone words are, analyze their use in several examples, and give a list of tone words with definitions that you can use in your writing. What Are Tone Words? Authors convey tone through diction (word choice), viewpoint, and syntax. Tone words are specific words that help express an author’s attitude about the subject matter. Words typically have a positive, negative, or neutral connotation. Tone words help authors show whether they feel positively, negatively, or neutrally about what they’re writing about. Here are some examples of tone words in action: The proposal is so absurd that it can’t possibly be taken seriously. The tone word â€Å"absurd† indicates that the writer finds the proposal ridiculous or silly. The politician’s speech was eloquent. The tone word â€Å"eloquent† has a positive connotation, which indicates that the author found the speech articulate and persuasive. Tonevs Voice Many writers confuse tone and voice or use the two terms interchangeably. In fact, they’re very different. As we’ve already discussed, tone indicates an author or character’s attitude towards a certain topic or situation. In nonfiction, tone words indicate what the author thinks. In fiction, tone words can help to set the mood, showing whether a particular situation or interaction is tense, happy, sad, etc. Voice, on the other hand, refers to the overall personality of a work. An author’s voice may be sarcastic, informative, friendly, or something else entirely. You can remember the difference this way: tone changes all the time. Voice refers to the character that a piece has throughout. Tone can change from sentence to sentence, while voice stays consistent. Here’s an example: In a young adult novel, the author has a casual voice. She doesn’t use a particularly complex vocabulary and her writing is very approachable. Within the story, the character experiences conflict and triumph. In the scenes where there is conflict, the tone words indicate tension. In the scenes where there is triumph, tone words indicate joy. The author’s overall type of word choice and approach to writing will remain the same throughout the work, but the specific words she uses will change as she describes different situations. Put another way: voice is how readers recognize you, the author, in your work. Voice is personal to each author and lasts throughout a piece. Tone words, on the other hand, indicate the author's (or character's) reactions to or opinions of events that are happening. As different events happen, the tone shifts. How to Find the Right Tone for Your Work To find the right tone for your work, you need to consider your audience and message. Start by asking yourself these three questions: Who am I writing this piece for? What am I trying to tell my reader? How do I want my reader to feel? Your audience will dictate the types of words you choose. If you’re writing for an academic audience, you may use more complicated language than if you’re writing for kids. You also want to consider what you're telling your reader. Do you want them to walk away with a positive or negative opinion of what you're presenting? How do you want them to feel about the information you're giving? These questions will help you decide what words to use in your work. Tone Word Example Analysis Let’s take a look at two examples of tone words in classic literature. A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway â€Å"It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference.† This excerpt demonstrates a calm, peaceful tone. Words like â€Å"settled† and â€Å"quiet† indicate the old man is relaxed and feeling safe. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe â€Å"I gasped for breath, and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly, more vehemently but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why WOULD they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men, but the noise steadily increased. O God! What COULD I do? I foamed I raved I swore!† This passage from The Tell-Tale Heart indicates a nervous, anxious tone. The phrases â€Å"violent gesticulations† and â€Å"heavy strides† display the rising action and contribute to the feeling of intensity. The Ultimate List of Tone Words These tone words will help establish the tone in your work. Tone Word Meaning Abashed ashamed or embarrassed; also, disconcerted Absurd ridiculous; silly. Accusatory a tone of accusation; to accuse of a crime or offense Admonishing cautioning, reproving or scolding; especially in a mild and good-willed manner; reminding. Adoring to regard with esteem, love, and respect; honor Amused pleasurably entertained, occupied, or diverted. Apathetic having or showing little or no emotion; indifferent or unresponsive. Benevolent characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings. Bewildered completely puzzled or confused; perplexed. Biting sarcastic, having a biting or sarcastic tone. Bitter characterized by intense antagonism or hostility. Blunt abrupt in manner; obtuse. Bold not hesitating or fearful in the face of danger or rebuff; courageous and daring. Brusque abrupt in manner; blunt; rough. Calm free from excitement or passion; tranquil. Candid frank; outspoken Cheery in good spirits. Churlish critical or harsh in a mean-spirited way. Comic funny; humorous. Commanding imposing; having an air of superiority. Conceited having an excessively favorable opinion of one’s self or abilities. Contentious argumentative, quarrelsome. Curt rudely brief in speech or abrupt Desperate having an urgent need, desire. Detached impartial or objective; disinterested; unbiased/ not concerned; aloof. Diabolic devilish; fiendish; outrageously wicked. Disbelieving to have no belief in; refuse or reject belief in. Disdainful expressing contempt or disdain. Disgusted to excite nausea or loathing in. To offend the taste or moral sense of. Disrespectful showing a lack of respect; rude and discourteous. Disturbed marked by symptoms of mental illness. Doubtful uncertain outcome or result. Dramatic of or pertaining to drama; excessively confrontational. Dreary causing sadness or gloom. Earnest serious in intention or sincerely zealous. Ebullient overflowing with enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited. Ecstatic in a state of ecstasy; rapturous. Effusive unreserved or unduly demonstrative. Egotistical vain; boastful; indifferent to the well-being of others; selfish. Elated very happy or proud; jubilant; in high spirits. Embarrassed to feel self-conscious or ill at ease. Enraged to make extremely angry; put into a rage; infuriate. Enthusiastic excited; energetic Evasive ambiguous; cryptic; unclear Excited emotionally aroused; stirred Facetious inappropriate; flippant Flippant superficial; glib; shallow; thoughtless; frivolous Forceful powerful; energetic; confident; assertive Formal respectful; stilted; factual; following accepted styles/rules Frank honest; direct; plain; matter-of-fact Frustrated annoyed; discouraged Gentle kind; considerate; mild; soft Ghoulish delighting in the revolting or the loathsome Grim serious; gloomy; depressing; lacking humour;macabre Gullible naà ¯ve; innocent; ignorant Hard unfeeling; hard-hearted; unyielding Humble deferential; modest Humorous amusing; entertaining; playful Hypercritical unreasonably critical; hair splitting; nitpicking Impartial unbiased; neutral; objective Impassioned filled with emotion; ardent Imploring pleading; begging Impressionable trusting; child-like Inane silly; foolish; stupid; nonsensical Incensed enraged Incredulous disbelieving; unconvinced; questioning; suspicious Indignant annoyed; angry; dissatisfied Informative instructive; factual; educational Inspirational encouraging; reassuring Intense earnest; passionate; concentrated; deeply felt Intimate familiar; informal; confidential; confessional Ironic the opposite of what is meant Irreverent lacking respect for things that are generally taken seriously Jaded bored; having had too much of the same thing; lack enthusiasm Joyful positive; optimistic; cheerful; elated Judgmental critical; finding fault; disparaging Light-Hearted carefree; relaxed; chatty; humorous Loving affectionate; showing intense, deep concern Macabre gruesome; horrifying; frightening Malicious desiring to harm others or to see others suffer; ill-willed; spiteful Mean-Spirited inconsiderate; unsympathetic Mocking scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone Mourning grieving; lamenting; woeful Naà ¯ve innocent; unsophisticated; immature Narcissistic self-admiring; selfish; boastful; self-pitying Nasty unpleasant; unkind; disagreeable; abusive Negative unhappy, pessimistic Nostalgic thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past Objective without prejudice; without discrimination; fair; based on fact Optimistic hopeful; cheerful Outraged angered and resentful; furious; extremely angered Outspoken frank; candid; spoken without reserve Pathetic expressing pity, sympathy, tenderness Patronizing condescending; scornful; pompous Pensive reflective; introspective; philosophical; contemplative Persuasive convincing; eloquent; influential; plausible Pessimistic seeing the negative side of things Philosophical theoretical; analytical; rational; logical Playful full of fun and good spirits; humorous; jesting Pragmatic realistic; sensible Pretentious affected; artificial; grandiose; rhetorical; flashy Regretful apologetic; remorseful Resentful aggrieved; offended; displeased; bitter Resigned accepting; unhappy Restrained controlled; quiet; unemotional Reverent showing deep respect and esteem Righteous morally right and just; guiltless; pious; god-fearing Scathing critical; stinging; unsparing; harsh Scornful expressing contempt or derision; scathing; dismissive Sentimental thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past Sincere honest; truthful; earnest Solemn not funny; in earnest; serious Thoughtful reflective; serious; absorbed Tolerant open-minded; charitable; patient; sympathetic; lenient Tragic disastrous; calamitous Unassuming modest; self-effacing; restrained Uneasy worried; uncomfortable; edgy; nervous Virtuous lawful; righteous; moral; upstanding Whimsical quaint; playful; mischievous; offbeat Witty clever; quick-witted; entertaining Wonder awe-struck; admiring; fascinating Worried anxious; stressed; fearful Tone Words: Final Thoughts Tone words help you convey your attitude towards a subject. Tone can change throughout your work as you talk about different topics. There are thousands of tone words you can use to express your attitude in your work. What’s Next? Reading The Great Gatsby for class or even just for fun?Then you'll definitely want to check out our expert guides on the biggest themes in this classic book, from love and relationships to money and materialism. Got questions about Arthur Miller'sThe Crucible? Readour in-depth articles to learn about the most important themes in this playand to geta complete rundown of all the characters. For more information on your favorite works of literature, take a look at our collection of high-quality book guides! Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Hayley Milliman About the Author Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Chemical compound Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemical compound - Essay Example he mineral spirit for various issues and this may amount to poisoning .The severity of exposure to this compound is evident in its symptomatic respiratory challenge, headache, and irritation of the skin. The hydrocarbon part of the mineral spirit has carbon which has more affinity to oxygen when inhaled and deprive hemoglobin its ability to combine with oxygen hence leading strained breathing. The relevance of this article is evident in this era of increased use of paints and drug addiction which include inhalation of such mineral spirits. Although many people have deliberately or ignorantly used these compounds, the dander is reflected in increased respiratory problems. It is worth to note that as part of the health guide and prevailing risk of exposure to some chemical compounds, the article is significant. The article gives an insight into the causes, effects, symptoms and immediate remedial measures towards a victim of exposure to these chemical compounds. The affordability and wide scope of applying mineral spirit has seen it cause phenomenal cases of poisoning that in extreme cases end in fatalities. It is therefore important to understand the chemical component of any compound to establish the extent of

Technological determinism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Technological determinism - Essay Example In relation to this, the notion of technological determinism is referred to the belief that new technology will certainly lead to a cultural as well as social change which further seeks to ensure certain developments in the media and technology dimensions within the society on a whole (O'Loughlin, 2010). Based on this understanding, the paper will provide an insight on how a particular technology is responsible for any sort of cultural and social change. Technological Determinism Theoretically, technological determinism is described as an idiom that depicts how the evolution of technologies influence change in the standard of living of human beings. It is often described as among the most important aspects that positively impact the overall society. Technological determinism is further believed that technological determinism is a media technology that shapes the perceptions of people living in the society and brings significant changes in the way they act and feel. As per this partic ular idiom, technology innovation, with the passing time becomes a bit faded but is well capable to bring considerable changes in the society. Moreover, in the similar context, it is also believed that introduction of any sort of technology in the society influences people to adopt the same which brings changes in their behaviour and eventually alters the overall nature of the society. Stating precisely, technological determinism addresses the impact of different technologies on the overall functioning of the society (McLuhan, 2010). Arguments in Support of Technology and its Impacts on Culture and Society Undoubtedly, technology has driven some significant changes in the society and the culture of the modern day scenario. It has to be mentioned that the impacts of technology in the society can be both negative and positive. Contextually, when assessing the societal and cultural impressions led by technology innovations, the role of mass communication and telecommunication can be ob served apparently imposing positive changes within the society and culture. Taking into account the effects of mass communication and telecommunication technologies, it can be justifiably argued that technology is quite a powerful prospect which is well capable of influencing the lifestyle preferences and beliefs of people and the society at large with a wider prospect for exchanging thoughts and stimulating cultural diversity (O'Loughlin, 2010). Effects of Mass Communication on Society and Culture Mass communication is the overall blend of technologies such as radio, television, newspaper, films and advertising among others. After the evolution of these technologies, a significant change had been observed in the behaviour and standard of living of people which eventually impacted the culture and the society at large irrespective of geographical limits and cultural variances. The introduction of these technologies in the society further allowed people to experience or perform tasks that would had otherwise been stated as unimaginable. For instance, since its innovation and with

The Victorian period Essay Example for Free

The Victorian period Essay TASK: Pip changes a lot during his time in London. As we read the second stage of the novel, we do not like what we see of Pip because he becomes more and more of a snob. Do you agree with this opinion? The hero of Great Expectations is Pip and throughout the novel, our opinions of him change drastically. During his stay in London Pip changes the most and as we go on to read the second stage of the novel, we often fail to sympathise with Pip because he becomes more and more of a snob. Prior to his arrival in London, Pip makes it quite clear that he wishes to become a gentleman so that he can ultimately win over Estellas heart and with it her hand in marriage. But what exactly is a gentleman? A modern dictionary definition of this is: A well-mannered honourable man who may have a good social position. This is not too far away from the Victorian view (which would have been adopted by Magwitch and later on by Pip) as to what would have made a gentleman. At that time, any man was high in social rank or class, had the right by birth to be called a gentleman. A gentleman was also someone who could profitably manage his finances and would eventually own their own estate. A gentleman was also honourable and chivalrous and was a person against whom moral values could be judged. In short, a gentleman was an ideal for others to strive towards. During Pips stay in London, he becomes acquainted with many people. After his reunion with the pale young gentleman (Herbert Pocket) in the Barnards Inn, he meets the rest of Herberts family. It is at this point in the novel that we are introduced to Bentley Drummle. Pip immediately takes a dislike to Drummle and believes that Drummle can never be a true gentleman at heart because he was arrogant, snobbish and neither chivalrous nor honourable hardly making him a role model in society. However, Drummles lavish lifestyle and attitudes eventually rub off on Pip who consequently decides to join a frivolous and expensive London club and to hire a servant. Like a fast spreading poison, the lavishness and carelessness of Pips lifestyle corrupts Herberts life and lands them both in heavy debt as we are told later on in the novel. Just as there are gentleman who can be considered as being true at heart, there also those in the novel mainly Drummle and Compeyson, who certainly are not. It is a principle of his [Matthew Pocket] that no man who was a true gentleman at heart, ever was, since the world began, a true gentleman in manner. They are both only gentlemen by right of birth. Drummle is a spider fellow who possesses arrogance and snobbery of the highest order, has almost no moral values and is certainly not an ideal for others to strive towards. Compeyson is far from being honourable and chivalrous (he jilted Miss Havisham twenty minutes before they were to be joined together in holy matrimony), has no moral values (is happy to manipulate people just for money) and like Drummle, is not an ideal for others to strive towards. In the novel, Compeyson represents the greed of some of the middle class society and the beginnings of middle class crime, which occurred during the Victorian period. Pip makes it clear that he does not wish to turn out like either of the aforementioned characters but when Joe comes to visit Pip, this is not the case. Upon hearing of Joes intended visit (Chapter 27), Pip explicitly expresses his feelings to reader. He admits that if the chance arose, he would pay to keep Joe away from the Inn. If I could have kept him away by paying money, I certainly would have paid money. The apparent reason for this is that he does not wish for Joe to run into Drummle who Pip quite clearly holds in contempt (e. g. his self-revelation about his self-centredness at Jaggers dinner party [Chapter 26]). He criticises Joe before he arrives on his clumsy manner and his inability to read fluently. This was somewhat a strange criticism coming from Pip as at the time of the novel, there was no compulsory State education and reading was a much more common ability than writing. The criticism itself is very reminiscent of the way Estella criticises his appearance at his first visit to Satis House (Chapter 8). After Joe arrives, Pip illicitly makes him feel unwanted. He pays more attention to others at his home, especially to news from Miss Havisham and Estella. In general, the atmosphere is tense with Pip feeling very uncomfortable until Herbert enters the room. When Herbert enters the room, there is a drastic change in the rooms atmosphere. Herbert and Joe get on quite well with each other with friendly chat and Herbert offering Joe a warm beverage. Pip is unafraid for Joe to be seen by Herbert (who Pip believes is a gentleman at heart and of the sort of company that he would want Joe to see him with). However, this pleasant warm atmosphere is short-lived when Herbert has to tend to his hat. After Herbert leaves the room, Joe gets so uncomfortable that he is forced to explain to Pip why he really came to see him.

African Influenced Christianity in Toni Morrison’s Beloved Essay

Religion has influenced fiction since people first began writing fiction. Christianity tends to be one of the most influential forces on western writers in the last couple millennia, but the introduction of other cultures changes the influences present in books. The forced migration of enslaved Africans created a fascinating fusion between Christianity and native african religions, primarily totemistic but often involving archetypal pantheons. The slaves often identified with the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, and such parallels between biblical stories and their own experiences hastened the adoption of a modified Christianity by the slaves. Events in Toni Morrison’s Beloved reflect the experiences of the Israelites and other biblical figures in ways modified by native African religions. The slaves identification with the Israelites is used by Toni Morrison, who gives Paul D an equally divine rescue. So he raced from dogwood to blossoming peach. When they thinned out he headed for the cherry blossoms, then magnolia, chinaberry, pecan, walnut, prickly pear. At last he reached a fiel...

Re-organization and Layoff- Issue Paper Essay

Problem Identification and formulation will be reviewed using the team discussion from Week 2. The paper will: Summarize the issue; Identify the problem; Explain why it is the underlying problem; Reflect on the group collaboration process in defining the problem; and Explain how a clearly defined problem could help to find the solutions. Summarize The Issue The problem presented in article by Bouw, Mismanaged Layoffs can go ‘Horribly Wrong, is the lack of proper and well-managed policy around employee lay-offs. Most managers are trained to handle a corporate crisis. Employers should approach any job losses with caution and always be respectful. Companies should consider whether job losses are necessary and the impact on operations internally, and how clients and contractors view it externally. Companies need to make sure they are following the law when it comes to laying off staff, including paying out severance as required by each province based on an employee’s years of service. (2013) Identify The Problem Some reasons that a company would look at reorganization and layoffs would be that the sales of that company have dropped below what they were projecting. To help with costs they may look at laying people off and then reorganizing the employees that are left to help ensure that the internal structure remains in tact to ensure that the company continues to run smoothly. Most companies see layoffs as a way to save money, however most times this is not the case due to the things that the company has to pay out to the employees that were let go. Alternatives to job cuts include transferring staff to other departments, using fewer contract workers, or cutting wages. Whether it’s a termination, where the employee’s job is eliminated, or a layoff, where the employee loses the job for a certain  period of time, a company’s handling of it can have consequences. Explain Why This is the Underlying Problem If sales are lower then expected there might be a bigger problem then just lying off people. However, that is definitely where you should start, but employers need to stick to the rules around termination and ensure the reasons are clear. The negative impact the event can have on employee morale, which in turn can hurt productivity. It’s traumatic to the remaining staff can create fear and resentment. To help manage the disruption, companies need to be compassionate and transparent about why the job losses occurred. If management handles it in a benevolent way it can boost their image as an employer, staff feel motivated and they don’t live in fear. Layoff plan moves forward at GE Transportation, By Jim Martin demonstrates, that after unsuccessful lobbying and failed negotiations aimed at saving jobs, the company planned for its first round of layoffs. The pink slips were to be distributed Monday, giving employees one-week notice of their layoff. GE Transportation, said about 50 employees was expected to retire instead of taking a layoff. While each retirement had the potential to spare one layoff, Duke said he didn’t try to influence anyone’s decision. In a statement from Erickson, the company acknowledged the significance of the job cuts. â€Å"We are taking this difficult step to meet an increasingly challenging marketplace that requires us to reduce costs and improve flexibility to maintain our competitiveness,† she said. â€Å"We understand how hard this action is for everyone affected, including families and the broader community.† She said the company is working closely with the state Department of Labor & Industry’s Rapid Response team to help employees who lose their jobs. (Martin, 2013, Page 1) Reflect On The Group Collaboration Process in Defining the Problem Effectively managing group decision-making has three requirements: (1) an appropriate leadership style, (2) the constructive use of disagreement and conflict, and (3) the enhancement of creativity. The most constructive type of conflict is cognitive conflict, or differences in perspectives or judgments about issues. In contrast, affective conflict is emotional and directed at other people. The dialectic goes a step beyond devil’s advocacy  by requiring a structured debate about two conflicting courses of action. The dialectic goes a step beyond devil’s advocacy by requiring a structured debate about two conflicting courses of action. Custom-made solutions are necessary, so the group must be creative in generating ideas. The leader of a decision-making body must attempt to minimize process-related problems. How a Clearly Defined Problem Could Help Find The Solutions The first stage in the decision-making process is to recognize that a problem exists and must be solved. Typically, a manager realizes some discrepancy between the current state (the way things are) and a desired state (the way things ought to be). Such discrepancies—say, in organizational or unit performance—may be detected by comparing current performance against (1) past performance, (2) the current performance of other organizations or units, or (3) future expected performance as determined by plans and forecasts. Recognizing that a problem or opportunity exists is only the beginning of this stage. The decision maker must dig in deeper and attempt to diagnose the situation. The following questions are useful to ask and answer in this stage. The â€Å"problem† may be an opportunity that needs to be exploited: a gap between what the organization is doing now and what it can do to create a more positive future. In that case, decisions involve choosing how to sei ze the opportunity. (Bateman, 2013, Page) Critical thinking plays a major role in the decision making process. Problem Identification and formulation aids in management’s ability find custom solutions using a creative generation. Reference Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2013). Management: Leading & collaborating in a competitive world (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Bouw, B. (2013, June 28). Mismanaged layoffs can go ‘horribly wrong’. The Globe and Mail, B.14. Martin, J. (2013, November 3). Layoff plan moves forward at GE Transportation. McClatchy — Tribune Business News, n/a.

Power Failure The Inside Story Of The Collapse Of Enron

General Power Failure: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Enron, Mimi Swartz and Sherron Watkins, 432 pages, March 25, 2003, Crown Publishing Group, ISBN: 978-0-767-91368-3 Authors The book is written by two authors: Mimi Swartz and Sherron Watkins. Mimi Swartz is a journalist who graduated from Hampshire College. She has written for many publications. Her work has been included in Slate, Vanity Fair, National Geographic, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. Currently, she serves as an executive editor for Texas Monthly. Ms. Swartz is a long time resident of Texas, and was able to use her experiences and insight into the Texan psyche to highlight the personalities of the Texas company and the attitude of its employees. Sherron†¦show more content†¦Sherron is uniquely qualified to offer experiences that she personally witnessed during her tenure there. As an accountant, she was able to understand and explain the intricate details of what went wrong at Enron. Summary Power Failure is a book that tells the story of Enron from the point of view of one of the book’s authors, Sherron Watkins. The basic premise of the book is given in the first chapter when Tom Peters warns the attendees of a corporate conference that â€Å"An excess of self-confidence kills companies† (Swartz Watkins, 2003, Loc. 306). First, the authors describe the November management conference of 2000. The point describes Sherron’s experience at the conference and her interaction with several key people, among whom were Jeff Skilling and Andy Fastow. Next, the authors of the book advance through a timeline starting with a brief biography of Ken Lay. The timeline of Enron carries into company’s desire to continue to expand and grow. Secondly, the narrative symbolizes the rise of Andy Fastow who ultimately ran the various shell companies that were instrumental in keeping debts off the balance sheets. Thirdly, the book describes Sherron Watkinsâ₠¬â„¢s attempt at getting her leadership to correct the problems and admit to the stakeholders the true financial situation of Enron. Power Failure highlights the letters she sent to Ken Lay. Ms. Watkins wrote to