What term describes the feeling or atmosphere that a reader perceives from a text?

The term that describes the feeling or atmosphere that a reader perceives from a text is mood. Mood refers to the emotional response that the author aims to evoke in the reader, which can be influenced by various elements such as word choice, imagery, and the overall narrative style. When readers engage with a text, they often pick up on the mood, which can range from joyful to melancholic, suspenseful to serene, and so on.

In contrast, tone is the author's attitude toward the subject matter or audience, setting refers to the time and place in which a story occurs, and theme represents the underlying message or central idea of a work. Each of these elements contributes to the overall understanding of a text, but mood specifically highlights the emotional quality that readers experience as they connect with the narrative.