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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
One great first line 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 stage for the story's focus on marriage and social class in 19th - century England.
One great first line 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, making the reader curious about what the story will entail.
A classic example is 'Call me Ishmael.' from Herman Melville's 'Moby - Dick'. It's simple yet so effective. It makes the reader wonder who Ishmael is, and it gives an air of a personal account about to be shared. Just these three words are enough to start the reader on a journey into the story.