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 #48 – How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
First published: October 12, 1957
Here's what the story is about: The Grinch is a cranky, solitary creature who works to “stop Christmas from coming” by stealing Christmas gifts, food, and decorations from the homes of the nearby town of Whoville on Christmas Eve. The story criticizes the commercialization of Christmas.
Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot...
But the Grinch,who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT!
The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
This story starts in the omniscient POV of an unnamed narrator [who we all know is Boris Karloff]. We learn that the Whos of Whoville like Christmas a lot but the Grinch who lives just north of Whoville emphatically does NOT. The story is written in rhyme like most Dr. Seuss stories, and I'm sufficiently interested in how and why the Grinch stole Christmas, and what the Whos might do about it, to continue reading. This is also my absolute favorite Christmas story from my childhood and I watch the 1966 television special multiple times every year. I've seen the Jim Carrey movie also, but it doesn't come close to the 1966 TV special.
Does this first line/paragraph hook your attention? If you had never heard of this story, would you buy this book in 2024? Knowing the story, would you change the first line? Tell us in the comments!
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