In '1984' by George Orwell, the opening line 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' is very striking. The fact that the clocks are striking thirteen is abnormal and immediately creates a sense of unease and a dystopian atmosphere, which is central to the novel.
One of the best 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 story which is centered around marriage and social status in the 19th - century English society.
One great opening line could be 'In a world where the sun never set, the people had forgotten the beauty of the stars.' It immediately sets an unusual and somewhat mysterious setting that makes the reader wonder why the sun never sets and what that means for the people. It also creates a contrast between the sun and the stars, which can be explored further in the story.
The opening line 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' by J.M. Barrie is really great. It's simple yet thought - provoking. It makes you curious about that one child who doesn't grow up and sets the stage for the magical world of Neverland.
The opening line of 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville, 'Call me Ishmael.' is iconic. It's a very direct and simple way to start a story. By having the narrator introduce himself so plainly, it gives the reader a sense of intimacy and makes them feel like they are about to embark on a journey with Ishmael, whether it be physical or emotional.
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 an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this world where the clocks seem to be acting strangely.
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.
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.
In 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is a great opening. It's very thought - provoking. It makes you think about duality and how different things can be at the same time. It also hooks the reader as they want to find out more about these 'times' that are both good and bad.
In 'Americanah' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the opening line 'Ifemelu—rhymes with Chimamanda—noticed it on her first day at Princeton.' is great. It gives us a character's name right away and also links it to the author's name in a clever way, which makes the reader curious about this Ifemelu and her experience at Princeton. It starts the story in a very specific place and situation, which is effective in drawing the reader in.
Some of the top opening lines include 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville. This simple yet powerful line immediately draws the reader in, making them curious about who Ishmael is. Also, 'All children, except one, grow up.' from 'Peter Pan' by J.M. Barrie is quite memorable. It sets the stage for the story of the boy who never grows up. And then there's 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...' from the 'Star Wars' novelizations, which is iconic and gives a sense of vastness and mystery.