First Lines
1) This website has a list of first lines from literature.
2) The list of possible first lines to include is exhaustible, but it is very (very) long.
3) Not all first lines from literature are on the website.
4) “Literature” is a slippery term, a bit like “the Canon”
5) People try to agree on what “Literature” is, as distinct from other genres.
6) People sometimes argue about it.
7) People sometimes invest themselves quite strongly in their opinions.
8) People who invest strongly in opinions tend to see opinions as being a bit like facts, or at least see their opinions as being more correct than other opinions. Good for them.
9) When people of this proclivity get together and argue their viewpoints, they can be like ‘The Zaks’ from the Dr Seuss story.
10) Nietzsche said, “There are no facts, only interpretations.”
11) The author of the website is sorry if what Nietzsche said offends anybody.
12) You can vote on a first line by pressing the little thumbs up icon on a firstline card.
13) You can submit a first line on the submit page.
To summarise from this unlucky number of correct assumptions: There are a lot of first lines to choose from within the group of stories that we call literature. Some but not all of these lines are presented here on this website.
People can indicate their partiality for a particular first line by voting on it. This may result in that line being moved closer to the top of the listed lines when someone presses the “popularity” button from the sorting options. The most popular first line will receive the “Golden Thumb”. Very exciting.
Finally, if someone has a first line from literature that they really like but can’t find on the list then they can submit it to the editor of the website from the submissions page.