/lit/ - Literature

What are some of the greatest opening lines in the history of literature? How important are they really? Contribute with your favorite examples from known literature and your own work if you have any.

>>19314899
You're right, it is a very mundane sentence, that is part of why it's such a good first line. Because really, it's not the first sentence of the book, it's the first line of the story. Before it comes like 10 pages of extracts from all throughout literature attesting to the epic and symbolic power of whales. Before that, an etymology of the word whale, tracing it back to Hebrew. Even before that, the title is a reference to a famous whale, Mocha Dick. It's like the book screams "WHALE!!!" in your face and then says, "by the way, my name's Ishmael."
The sentence also sets up one of the big questions of the book: call who Ishmael? Who the hell is Ishmael? Is he Herman Melville, the author? Is he just the narrator? Is he the main character? The spiritual and psychological core of the book? An unbiased observer, or a partisan? Or maybe he's just the only bastard lucky enough to survive. The answer to the question can change throughout the book, and it can change based on the reader.
The very first word, too, the verb, is a call to action. CALL me Ishmael. What, to your face? Through the book? The first line indicates that the book is a conversation between the reader and the narrator, and also that the book is meant to be discussed with others, it's a conversation starter. The first sentence answers the two questions any story must answer, who is telling it and who it is being told to, and it cues you in that neither of those are going to be simple answers at all.
I've seen some very clever Moby Dick scholars claim that the first line is Melville claiming that Ishmael represents himself. But I don't think this is the case at all. I think he is saying, "when you talk about this book, don't mistake all the thoughts and behaviors and emotions in it as my own. Don't say, 'Herman Melville said,' say 'Ishmael said.' Call me Ishmael."

Is this the most iconic opening line of all time?

>>14094715
Page header is ugly, this is a sexier book

>>11982579

A (you) for your efforts.

What did he mean by that?

Moby-Dick. Great book, plus it has some suicidal themes.

>"no suicides permitted here, and no smoking in the parlor"

Am i obliged to write story if i write in prose? I just like sound of words and comfy referenced senteces that looks fancy, i am not interested in writing story. I am not interested in writing poetry either