54 great opening lines: 10

My father’s family name being Pirrip, and my christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip.

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

*****

I had to read it at school and liked it then; I still like it now.  There’s enough Gothic darkness and joyful resolution to satisfy me.

2 Replies to “54 great opening lines: 10”

  1. That’s great to hear. The title can be adapted by any young person, can’t it? We all have expectations about adult life. Perhaps that’s why it’s still taught in high school. Dickens knew how to make an unforgettable story out of it.

Comments are closed.