Famous First and Last Lines.

Beginning Line:

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where i was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”

This is the first line to the novel Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Salinger was born on January 1, 1919, and died on January 27, 2010. Salinger traveled Europe and was a teacher before he became a writer. He also served in the military during WWII. He is one of the most influential writers of his generation.

Catcher in the Rye was published July 16, 1951. The story is about a rebellious teenager named Holden Caulfield who gets kicked out of a prep school. He’s the kinda kid who punches other guys in the face and tires to get lucky multiple times without a chance. He meets this girl named phoebe who seems to be perfect. Holden is a young guy dealing with depression.

This novel is one that I have always wanted to read. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but now that I know more about it, I am definitely moving it up on my list. When picked out this line, I thought it was from this book, but I was not for sure. I am eager to use this line for the beginning of my story and I hope I can get my hands on a copy of Catcher in the Rye very soon. I think characters like Holden Caulfield are interesting.

Ending Line:

“Come, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.”

This is the final line in the novel Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray. Thackeray was an english writer from the 1800’s. Vanity Fair was one of his most famous works. His father died when he was a baby and he was separated from his mother at a very young age. He was born in india on July 18th 1811. He moved to England when he was five years old. His sudden death was caused by an bursting blood-vessel in his brain on December 24th 1863. He was 52 years old.

Vanity Fair takes place in the first half of the 19th century. The basis behind the book is that money does not always make a fulfilling and happy life. Most of the characters in the book have vain goals to help improve their social status. Becka Sharp is probably the most guilty of this. She goes from being an orphan to climbing up a social ladder to a lady of status. Once she claims this status it isn’t enough for her and Becka becomes so greedy that she becomes a social outcast once again.

Vanity Fair sounds like an interesting story, though I am not sure that it truly interests me. I used to read a lot of Shakespeare and after a while I honestly got tired of it. I’m not trying to relate Thackeray’s works to Shakespeare, I guess I am trying to say that I am tired of reading things about England and people who belong to a higher class. Though Becka Sharp gets it served to her in the end, I am not sure I would want to read through the whole novel just for that one gratifying moment.





It will be interesting putting these two lines together into one story, considering their differences. I am excited to take the challenge though. I hope i can do these lines justice.