Well, from 'Jane Eyre' by Charlotte Bronte, 'There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.' This unassuming opening is actually quite effective. It creates a sense of confinement and the start of a story that will likely involve the main character breaking free from some sort of restriction, whether it be physical or emotional.
A really good one is from 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara. 'When the call came through on his private line, Jude was in conference with the litigators from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.' This opening line drops the reader right into a scene. It makes you wonder who Jude is and what kind of work he's involved in with these litigators.
The opening line of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is very powerful. It gives a sense of the duality and complexity of the era that the story is set in, and makes the reader wonder about the different situations and characters that will be explored.
Well, 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick' is a very well - known opening line. It's so simple yet it has a certain power. It makes the narrator seem approachable, as if he's inviting the reader to join him on his journey. And it gives the story an air of authenticity from the start, as if it's a real account being told by someone we can trust.
The opening of 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens - 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is a classic. It sets up the contrast that is going to be central to the story, which is set during the French Revolution. It's a very powerful and thought - provoking start that gives a sense of the complex and chaotic times in which the story unfolds.
Another good one is 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' from Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. This line not only gives an insight into the society of the time where marriage was a big deal for financial and social reasons but also makes the reader interested in seeing how this idea will play out in the story.
Sure. Consider the opening of 'The Magicians' by Lev Grossman: 'Quentin did a magic trick. Nobody noticed.' This line is interesting as it sets up the character Quentin and his ability to do magic in a world where it seems unnoticed. It makes you wonder why his magic goes unnoticed and what kind of world he lives in.
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.
One of the most famous opening lines 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 sets the tone for the whole novel which is centered around marriage, social class, and the relationships between men and women in the 19th - century English society. It's a satirical take on the society's obsession with marriage as a means of economic and social stability.
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.
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.