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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
When Jane Austen first sat down to write her most famous novel, she tried a different approach. Her second-choice opening—“There is a particular sort of woman who dreams of marrying for affection, but her mother dreams harder”—captures the push and pull between romantic ideals and social pressures. Yet, it doesn’t quite carry that sharp, universal zing. The final line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” became an instant classic. It’s witty, biting, and sets the tone with a wink that readers still remember centuries later. In fact, a 2022 British poll ranked it as the most memorable opening line in English literature. The difference is like comparing a charming conversation to a thunderclap—Austen’s final choice simply echoes louder.
1984 by George Orwell
George Orwell’s original draft began with a bleak image: “He woke to grayness, to silence, to the suffocating smell of stale air and old dust.” It’s moody and atmospheric, but it doesn’t immediately jar the reader. Compare that to the published line: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” That odd, almost mechanical “thirteen” instantly tells you this world isn’t like ours. It’s no wonder this line is quoted in journalism and pop culture even today. According to a 2023 survey by The Guardian, Orwell’s opener is among the top five most-cited first sentences in modern discourse. The final version shocks you awake. The second choice might have just let you drift back to sleep.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Melville’s unused opening, “My name is of little importance, as are the names of most who go to sea,” has a certain humility, but it lacks punch. “Call me Ishmael,” on the other hand, is direct and unforgettable. Those three words have inspired countless parodies and tributes, showing up everywhere from literature classes to Super Bowl ads. Even people who have never read the novel recognize the phrase. According to the American Library Association, “Call me Ishmael” is the most recognized first line in American fiction. Melville’s second choice feels like small talk; his final choice is an invitation into a myth.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Salinger’s first attempt—“I guess I could begin with where I was born, but who really cares about that kind of thing?”—sounds like a teenager trying too hard to be cool. The final opening, “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born…”, is slyer and more inviting. It sets up Holden Caulfield’s voice perfectly: reluctant, honest, and a little bit jaded. This line is now studied in almost every American high school, and a 2024 educational study found it to be one of the most effective openers for engaging young readers. The difference is subtle, but it’s everything.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Dickens considered opening with, “The age was contradictory, and so were the men who shaped it.” It’s factual, but it doesn’t sing. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” is pure poetry. The rhythm, the repetition, the drama—it’s instantly memorable. This opener has been referenced in speeches, headlines, and even memes. A 2023 survey in The Times listed it as the most quoted literary line in Britain. Dickens’s second choice feels like a history lecture; his final version feels like a drumroll.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
“She was too young, too bright-eyed, too much for me to resist,” was Nabokov’s alternate opener. It’s uncomfortable and a bit too blunt. “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins,” is haunting, poetic, and deeply unsettling—the kind of line you don’t forget, even if you want to. A 2024 literary analysis found this opener to be one of the most controversial and discussed in 20th-century literature. The second choice tells you what happened; the final line makes you feel it, whether you like it or not.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald thought about starting with, “Whenever I’ve been tempted to judge someone harshly, I remember what my father once said.” It’s thoughtful, but it doesn’t quite draw you in. The final line, “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice…”, is softer and more nostalgic. It sets the reflective, almost dreamy tone that colors the whole book. The New York Public Library reported in 2023 that this opening is one of the top five most searched literary lines online. Fitzgerald’s final choice feels like the start of a confession; the second choice is just a lesson.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Plath’s second-choice line, “It was the kind of heat that made everything feel like a punishment,” is evocative, but lacks context. The published line, “It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs…”, is both chilling and oddly beautiful. It drops you right into a moment in history and sets the novel’s tone of dread and suffocating pressure. According to a 2024 NPR feature, this opening is one of the most powerful in feminist literature. Plath’s final version makes you shiver; her earlier one just makes you sweat.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Vonnegut’s unused opener, “All war stories are the same. This one just happens to be mine,” is almost apologetic. The final opening, “All this happened, more or less,” is dry, ambiguous, and unforgettable. It’s the literary equivalent of a shrug, and it perfectly matches the novel’s wry, absurdist tone. The 2025 Modern Library Reader’s Poll found this line to be one of the most frequently cited by fans. Vonnegut’s second choice feels like an introduction; the final line feels like a dare.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Harper Lee’s second-choice—“You don’t remember your childhood the way it really was, only the way it settled in your mind”—is thoughtful, but a little distant. The final line, “When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow,” is specific, vivid, and immediately raises questions. Schools across the US still use this line to introduce students to narrative tension. A 2023 education review called it one of the most effective hooks in American literature. Lee’s final choice pulls you straight into the story, while the earlier version just muses on memory.
Besides founding Festivaltopia, Luca is the co founder of trib, an art and fashion collectiv you find on several regional events and online. Also he is part of the management board at HORiZONTE, a group travel provider in Germany.
