The tone is that of oppression and darkness. By using words that evoke the sense of death and decay now that the murders have been committed. His language choices juxtapose images of life and vibrancy with those of death and rot in a way that makes the shift from one to another more important than either feeling in and of itself. For example, he mentions Apple trees and pear trees; peach and cherry, but then goes on to describe how the lawn was parched and shabby (206)
