The first line of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is very famous. It creates a contrast right from the start, making the reader wonder how both the best and the worst could exist simultaneously, and it draws you into the complex world of the story.
In Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre', the line 'There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.' starts the story. It gives a sense of confinement which is relevant to Jane's situation as an orphan at Gateshead. It makes the reader curious about why she can't go for a walk and what kind of life she leads.
The Casanova was a script that Wang Zhibo and Wu Nanyan used in their crosstalk performance. We can see snippets of lines, such as " Oh my god, I'm so happy, I'm so happy " and " I want a hug, I want a princess hug, a flying hug." However, he did not provide the complete script, so he could not provide the complete lines of the big talk Casanova.
One great first line could be 'The last man on earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.' It immediately grabs the reader's attention and sets up a mysterious and intriguing scenario. It makes you wonder who could be knocking if he's the last man, creating a sense of suspense right from the start.
One great opening line could be 'It was a dark and stormy night.' This classic line immediately sets a mood of mystery and unease. It makes the reader wonder what might be happening in such a forbidding setting.
Consider 'All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' by Leo Tolstoy in 'Anna Karenina'. This line is profound as it sets up the exploration of family dynamics. It makes you think about the nature of happiness and unhappiness within families. Then there's 'I am an invisible man.' from Ralph Ellison's 'Invisible Man'. This simple yet powerful statement makes the reader eager to discover why the narrator is invisible and what that means in the context of the story.
The line 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from '1984' is great. It creates an immediate sense of unease. The idea of clocks striking thirteen in a bright cold day is so abnormal that it draws the reader in, making them curious about what kind of world this is where such a thing can happen.
They can also set an unusual mood. Take the line 'The fog crept in on little cat feet, but it brought a sense of dread with it.' The description of the fog combined with the sense of dread draws the reader in. They want to know more about this setting and what will happen because of this mood. Moreover, first lines that introduce a unique character can hook the reader. Like 'There was a girl who could see the future in her dreams, but she wished she couldn't.' This makes the reader interested in this girl's story, her powers, and her wish not to have them.
Another good one is 'The thing on the doorstep, it was no longer a dog.' This line is so effective because it makes you wonder what the 'thing' has become. It builds a lot of suspense and a feeling of the unknown. You start to imagine all kinds of grotesque transformations that could have occurred.
Great first lines can hook the reader right away. For example, if a first line is mysterious like 'The door stood ajar, and a strange light seeped through.' It makes the reader want to find out what's behind the door and what the strange light is. This initial intrigue keeps the reader going through the whole story.
The first lines of great novels often serve as a hook to draw readers in. For example, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities' immediately sets a complex and engaging tone. It makes you wonder about the contrast and what kind of story will unfold.
Often, the first lines of great novels are like a key to the whole story. For instance, in 'The Great Gatsby', '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 a sense of the narrator reflecting on his past, which is central to the story as it's a story full of memories, dreams, and illusions.