What are some famous opening lines of English novels?

They create mystery. For example, the opening of 'Rebecca' by Daphne du Maurier: 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.' It makes readers wonder what Manderley is and why the narrator is dreaming about it. This mystery draws them in.

The opening line of 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley is 'A squat grey building of only thirty - four stories.' This simple description of a building gives a feeling of a cold, uninviting world. It starts to build the image of a society that is perhaps very regimented and soulless, as the building seems rather dull and unremarkable, which may be a reflection of the society as a whole.

One of the most famous is 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' from Charles Dickens' 'A Tale of Two Cities'. This line immediately sets a complex and contrasting mood for the story.

The opening of '1984' by George Orwell: 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This line is so effective because it creates an immediate sense of unease. The idea of the clocks striking thirteen in a world that should be familiar is very disconcerting, and it makes the reader eager to find out more about this strange world.

The opening line 'Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice' from 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. This complex line jumps through time, giving a sense of the non - linear nature of the story. It also creates an air of mystery and doom, as we start with the character facing a firing squad and then go back in time. It's a very effective way to start a novel that is full of magic realism.

The opening line 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' is very engaging. It focuses on the concept of growing up, which is a central theme in the story. By highlighting that one child doesn't grow up, it piques our curiosity. We want to know who this special child is and why they are different, leading us to explore the magical world of Neverland along with Peter Pan.

One of the well - known opening lines is 'Call me Ishmael' from 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville. This simple yet powerful line gives the character a voice right from the start. It's like an invitation for the reader to follow Ishmael's story. It's also a bit mysterious as we don't know much about Ishmael yet, but we are intrigued to find out more about him and his adventures.

They can also set the tone. In '1984' with 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This opening creates an immediate sense of unease. The abnormal 'clocks were striking thirteen' gives a feeling that this is a world that is different and perhaps dystopian. It's a very effective way to start a story that is about a totalitarian regime.

The opening line 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville is also well - known. It's a simple yet powerful way to introduce the narrator, making the reader curious about who Ishmael is and what his story will be.

One great opening line is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line immediately sets the tone for the story which is often about marriage and social status in 19th - century England.