best first sentences from novels

One of the best first sentences 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. The idea of the clocks striking thirteen in a world that should be familiar but isn't grabs the reader's attention. It makes you wonder what kind of world this is where the normal rules don't seem to apply.

The opening of 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville, 'Call me Ishmael.' is quite remarkable. It's a very direct and somewhat mysterious start. By simply stating his name (or the name he wants to be called), Ishmael invites the reader into his world. It makes the reader curious about who this Ishmael is and what his story will be about.

One example is 'Call Me Ishmael' from 'Moby - Dick'. This first sentence is so iconic and immediately draws the reader in, setting a mood of mystery and adventure related to the sea. It makes you curious about who Ishmael is and what his story will be.

One of the best first sentences 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 sentence immediately sets the tone for a story that will deal with social expectations, marriage, and class in 19th - century England.

We are doomed by fate. Life is a journey and I'm just a passenger. Nothing in this world can stop us from moving forward. Death may be the best ending for us because it means that we are completely finished. In this world, there is nothing worth cherishing because everything we have is temporary.

The best first sentences set the mood. Take 'The Haunting of Hill House' with its 'No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.' This sentence creates a sense of unease and mystery right away. It gives a hint of the strange and perhaps otherworldly events that will unfold in the story, which makes the book more appealing as it draws the reader into this spooky world.

Well, from the first sentences of novels, we can often get a sense of the writing style. A long, complex first sentence might indicate a more literary and detailed writing style, while a short, punchy one could be for a more fast - paced or modern story. It can also give a hint about the genre. If it starts with something like 'In a far - off land...' it might be a fantasy.

One example could be 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'.

Often, they introduce key themes. Consider '1984' by George Orwell starting with 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' The unusual time - thirteen o'clock - immediately hints at a world that is different from our own. It sets the stage for the themes of a dystopian society, where things are not as they seem and rules are bent or broken.

The best first sentences often introduce the main theme. For example, in 'The Great Gatsby' with 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' It hints at the idea of reflecting on the past, which is central to the story of Gatsby's pursuit of a past love.