Well, 'The Catcher in the Rye' has a great start: 'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.' It gives a sense of the narrator's attitude right away. 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien starts with 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' It's a very straightforward and effective way to introduce the main character and the setting. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee begins 'When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.' This opening line hooks the reader by creating an immediate sense of mystery about how Jem's arm got broken.
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.
One famous starting line is 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens.
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 '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This opening line is really effective. The fact that the clocks are striking thirteen is immediately jarring and out of the ordinary. It signals to the reader that this is a world that is different from our own, perhaps a dystopian one where normal rules don't apply. It makes the reader curious to find out more about this strange world.
One of the best is from 'To Kill a Mockingbird': 'He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.' It's a simple yet powerful ending, showing Atticus's love and protection for his son, leaving the reader with a sense of warmth and the knowledge that in a world full of injustice, family love endures.
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 quite profound. It shows the futility of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, as if he is constantly struggling against an unyielding force, the past that he can't escape from.
One of the best closing lines is from 'To Kill a Mockingbird': 'He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.' It gives a sense of quiet protection and family bonds after all the turmoil in the story.
One great opening line is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets a strange, dystopian mood.
Well, there are so many. 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick' is also quite famous. It's such a simple yet powerful way to start a story. It immediately draws the reader in, making them curious about who Ishmael is and what his story will be.
Another great closing line could be from 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. 'He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.' It shows Atticus's love and protection for his children in a simple yet powerful way. Closing lines often leave a lasting impression, and these are just a few examples from the 100 best.