Compare and contrast the two openings of 'The Catcher in the Rye' and 'Jane Eyre' as openings to novels.
             'The Catcher in the Rye' is set in the 60s and therefore uses a more contemporary language and tone. This can be seen when the author uses colloquialisms in a very satirical way, "kind of crap." The author gives the reader a very good insight into the plot very early on in the book; from the first page the reader learns that the narrator is very jealous and envious of his older brother and believes he 'sold' his talents to Hollywood and undermined his own talents, "being a prostitute."
             'Jane Eyre' is set in Victorian England and is written by Charlotte Bronte. The opening to this novel is less revealing and gives less of an insight into the story and plot. The opening does tell us, however, that the novel is set in an upper/middle class Victorian home, "leafless shrubbery." The author writes the opening using very descriptive language, the descriptions, however, are mainly visual and very detailed, "rain so penetrating." The writer also lets us visit Jane's personality in the opening, were we learn she is very rebellious; which is unusual in Victorian times, "until you can speak pleasantly, remain silent."
             The characters in Jane Eyre are also very Eurocentric, this can be seen when she states "like a Turk." These stereotypical views were very common in the Victorian times, when Britain had a large empire. This was because People were issued with propaganda in the forms of books supporting colonies and empires and also portraying the British person as superior.
             There are many similarities and differences in both openings. The most noticeable difference is in the tone and language of each novel, mainly because they were written in different centuries and in different periods in history. The first opening...