T
he opening sentence or paragraph in a novel almost represents the aroma of the cooked story. If the aroma is inviting and whets your appetite, you’re likely to stay for a long time, anticipating the meal and eventually eating it. On the other hand, if the aroma isn’t intriguing, your interest may wane. To readers, quite often, the opening lines of a literary work can spark reading interest to a great extent. This is one part of a story that lingers in the mind. One of my favorite openings is seen in Dambudzo Marechera’s The House of Hunger: “I got my things and left.” Although it’s merely a line of six words, it has stayed with me for years. Such is the power of good literary opening lines.
When it comes to literature, it’s hard to ignore the contribution of those of African descent. From the mother continent to talents in the diaspora, writers are earning recognition in the literary space. In this article, I put the spotlight on these incredible writers, highlighting their wits in crafting intriguing openers that elevate their works. While it’s true that not all readers fuss over a good introduction, and many would rather read the entire story to fully appreciate a literary work, no one can deny the role opening lines play in drawing readers in. As a result, I have compiled a few famous literary opening lines of African literature and others to whet your appetite for the entire dish.
Check out 5 famous literary opening lines to leave you wanting more…
#1. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
One of the most famous literary opening lines can be found in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This opening would be best appreciated when you understand the style of writing, the setting of the story, and why painting a solid picture of Okonkwo’s (the protagonist) strength was necessary, seeing that power was essential to his character:
“Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen, he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights.”
#2. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
As we’ve come to expect from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the master of intriguing narratives, a well-told story is a must. And for that, a fantastic opener is essential. Introducing the beautiful love story in Americanah, which branches out into being a cultural and political commentary, Adichie gives these famous literary opening lines:
“Princeton, in the summer, smelled of nothing, and although Ifemelu liked the tranquil greenness of the many trees, the clean streets and stately homes, the delicately overpriced shops, and the quiet, abiding air of earned grace, it was this, the lack of a smell, that most appealed to her, perhaps because the other American cities she knew well had all smelled distinctly. Philadelphia had the musty scent of history. New Haven smelled of neglect. Baltimore smelled of brine, and Brooklyn of sun-warmed garbage.”
#3. Season of Anomy by Wole Soyinka
Soyinka’s ‘difficult’ novel might as well have an esoteric opening that shows his mastery of words, and it doesn’t matter how confused it leaves you, you’re sure to want to read the entire book to break the hard nut:
“A quaint anomaly had long governed and policed itself, was so singly-knit that it obtained a tax assessment for the whole populace and paid it before the departure of the pith-helmeted assessor, in cash, held all property in common, literally, to the last scrap of thread on the clothing of each citizen, such an anachronism gave much patronizing amusement to the cosmopolitan sentiment of a profit-hungry society.”
#4. The Spider King’s Daughter by Chibundu Onuzo
This love story begins with a rather unforgettable opening, introducing the first part of the separate upbringing and memories of the lovers who dictate the direction of the literary work:
“Let me tell you a story about a game called Frustration. A dog used to follow me around when I was ten, one day, my father had his driver run this dog over in plain view of the house. I watched from my window. The black car purring on the grit, the driver’s hands shaking as he prepared himself for a second hit and my father, sitting in the back seat, watching.”
#5. A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
Marlon James combines different genres to make A Brief History of Seven Killings. Whether the killings in the book were of key players who attacked the singer – a character that is said to represent some real people, the introduction is interesting. The 700-page book should be read so you can adequately appreciate the story and style that commanded these famous literary opening lines:
“Listen. Dead people never stop talking. Maybe because death is not death at all, just a detention after school. You know where you’re coming from and you’re always returning from it. You know where you’re going though you never seem to get there and you’re just dead. Dead. It sounds final but it’s a world missing an ‘ing’. You come across men longer dead than you, walking all the time though heading nowhere, and you listen to them howl and hiss because we’re all spirits or we think we are all spirits but we’re all just dead.”
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