One of the best starting lines is from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' This line immediately sets a tone of contrast and complexity, drawing the reader into a world full of duality. Another great one 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.' It's a line that humorously and cleverly reveals the social attitudes of the time. And from '1984' by George Orwell: 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This opening is so effective as it creates a sense of unease and a world that is not quite right from the very start.
One great starting line could be 'In the dead of night, a strange noise echoed through the empty streets.' It immediately sets a mysterious and somewhat eerie mood, drawing the reader in.
You can start by thinking about the mood you want to set. If it's a horror story, a line like 'The old house creaked ominously as she stepped inside.' would be good. It gives an immediate sense of unease.
Sure. In 'Anna Karenina' by Leo Tolstoy, it starts with 'All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' This line is profound as it makes a general statement about families that sets the stage for the complex family dramas and relationships that will unfold in the novel. It also gives a sense of Tolstoy's understanding of human nature. Another example is from 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' by Oscar Wilde. 'The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink - flowering thorn.' This opening creates a vivid and sensual atmosphere, drawing the reader into the world of art and beauty that will be central to the story.
In 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' This line is so powerful. It reflects the futility of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy and the inescapable pull of the past that haunts all the characters in the novel.
One of the best lines in novels is from 'To Kill a Mockingbird': 'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.' This line is profound as it teaches us empathy.
The opening line of 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald is 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' This line gives an impression of the narrator reflecting on the past and sets the stage for the story that is filled with memories, dreams, and the pursuit of the American Dream.
From 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' This line beautifully captures the futility and the struggle of the characters in the novel. It reflects on the idea that no matter how hard they try to move forward, they are always haunted and held back by their pasts.
In 'The Notebook' by Nicholas Sparks, 'I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved another with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.' This line shows that true love doesn't need grandeur or fame, just pure and wholehearted devotion.