Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Casual, Matter of Fact, Lighthearted
When it comes to tone, our narrator is pretty relaxed. And we get the story in a straightforward way thanks to this informal and down-to-earth attitude. Yep, this storyteller is a straight shooter so we learn what's going down without much judgment from the narrator.
So if you want to find out how Billy, Ned, and Sal approach their art projects, just look to the narrator's matter-of-fact description and you'll have the answer:
Papa had thrown together some odds and ends from the garage that he thought might prove useful. Ned had brought two plastic sharks and some seashells from a Florida vacation to use for his diorama. And Sal had asked Papa if she could please, please, please use glitter, which was kept in a secret hiding place out of her reach. (2.2.1)
We learn exactly what each character wants and needs and that's that. Did you notice how the narrator keeps it casual here? He or she doesn't use a formal tone to list out the materials, but instead keeps it nice and light when talking about those "odds and ends."
In fact, sometimes the narrator adds a healthy dose of joy to his or her casual attitude. For instance, when he or she mimics how Sal begs Papa by saying "please, please, please," we can't help but smirk a little. And that makes this matter-of-fact tone both informal and lighthearted all at once. Good, straight-to-the-point times.