In this instructional activity, learners will build background by hearing an excerpt from The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, an excerpt where the main character, Milo, travels to a distant land that has a distinctive mood: melancholy. Next, students will discuss how specific word choices help to create mood, and they will discuss how word choice is related to voice. Finally, learners will write about driving in a fictional faraway location, and they will attempt to establish an ambiance through word choice and voice.