What are the characteristics of the best opening in stories?

A third characteristic is character introduction. A strong opening line can introduce a character in an interesting way. Take 'The Fault in Our Stars' where the opening gives us a sense of Hazel's voice and her situation. By introducing the character early on, it makes the reader care about what will happen to them in the story.

One of the best opening lines is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. This line immediately sets an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this strange world where the clocks are behaving differently than expected. It draws you in, making you curious about what kind of place this is and what's going to happen next.

The line 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' from 'The Great Gatsby' is also excellent. It gives a sense of the narrator reflecting on something important from the past. It draws the reader in as we want to know what that advice was and how it has influenced the narrator.

The opening words are often filled with a sense of mystery. They might introduce elements that are not fully explained at first, like an old, crumbling manor or a strange occurrence in a small village. This mystery hooks the reader.

One of the best opening pages can be found in 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. It begins with the famous line 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This immediately sets the tone for the story, introducing the theme of marriage and social expectations in a rather satirical way.

A great opening line is 'All children, except one, grow up.' from J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan'. This line is simple yet very effective. It makes the reader wonder about that one special child and why they don't grow up like the others. It also gives a sense of mystery and the promise of an adventure.

'The Call of the Wild' by Jack London. The opening shows Buck, a domesticated dog, living a comfortable life in California. But then he is suddenly stolen and thrust into a harsh and wild new world. This abrupt change in his circumstances from a life of ease to one of survival in the Alaskan wilderness makes for a very engaging start to an adventure story.

One of the best is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets an off - kilter, dystopian mood.

One more notable opening line could be 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' from 'The Great Gatsby'. This line makes the reader curious about what that advice was and why it has been on the narrator's mind for so long. It gives a sense of a story that has been brewing in the narrator's head for a while.

Well, the opening theme typically has a sense of mystery. It might use dissonant chords and a slow tempo to build suspense. For example, the music might start softly and then gradually get louder, creating a feeling of unease. Also, the visuals in the opening often include creepy symbols and dark imagery that are associated with the horror genre.