Week 5 – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Last year on Mondays we had fun with books. This year, we'll look at most of the same books but also some new ones, and see if the first line [or first paragraph] met the goal of a first line which is ==> to hook the reader's attention.

Here are some tips on writing a first line

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-the-opening-line-of-your-novel

Week 5 – A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

You can read it here

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/46/46-h/46-h.htm

https://www.read.gov/books/christmas-carol.html

First published: December 19, 1843

Here's what the story is about: Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly and selfish miser, is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley, and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a kinder, gentler man.

First line/paragraph:
Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it: and Scrooge’s name was good upon ’Change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.

This story starts with introduction of two characters, Marley and Scrooge. Marley is dead, so we expect not to see him in the story [Hah!]. Scrooge would then appear to be the main character. We also have the POV [third person or omniscient]. The fact that Marley is dead appears to be very important to the story. It is mentioned multiple times, with multiple witnesses attesting to his demise, along with terms like “no doubt whatever” and “dead as a door-nail”. At this point however, that's all we know about the plot.

Does this first line/paragraph hook your attention? If you had never heard of this story, would you buy this story in 2024? Knowing the story, would you change the first line? Tell us in the comments!