--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One should be able to return to the first…" description: "\"One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work.\" — Gloria Naylor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/gloria-naylor-12454_able_one-should-be-able-to-return-to-the-firs_2779735.jpg" --- # One should be able to return to the first sentence of a… ![“One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work.” quote by Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/gloria-naylor-12454_able_one-should-be-able-to-return-to-the-firs_2779735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/gloria-naylor-12454_able_one-should-be-able-to-return-to-the-firs_2779735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/gloria-naylor-12454_able_one-should-be-able-to-return-to-the-firs_2779735.jpg) > “One should be able to return to the first sentence of a novel and find the resonances of the entire work.” [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She suggests a well‑written novel should allow readers to revisit its opening line and find echoes throughout the entire work. **In simple terms:** A novel’s first line should resonate throughout. Key Takeaway Seek thematic unity in reading. Themes literature structure coherence Mood analytical inquisitive Type literary reflective When to use this quote - book clubs - literary analysis - education Key Concepts narrative theory reading experience Questions to Reflect On - How does the opening line shape a story? - Do you notice resonances in your reads? A Different Perspective Not all novels achieve this depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [The first sentence of every novel should be: Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/the-first-sentence-of-every-novel-should-be-trust-me-this-will-take-2/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [The first sentence of every novel should be: Trust me, this will take time but there is order here, very faint, very human. Meander…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/the-first-sentence-of-every-novel-should-be-trust-me-this-will-take/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [Alice Adams wrote a sweet note to me after my first novel came out when I was 26, and I was so blown away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/alice-adams-wrote-a-sweet-note-to-me-after-my-first-novel-came-out/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“...what happens when you return and find nothing but a hollowed shell, shingles and floor, walls and echoes and the light that lead you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellie-elmore/what-happens-when-you-return-and-find-nothing-but-a-hollowed-shell/) [Kellie Elmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellie-elmore/) > [That's the meaning of 'The Revenant': It's a return from death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/that-s-the-meaning-of-the-revenant-it-s-a-return-from-death/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [Throw me to the wolfs and I will return leading the pack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/any/throw-me-to-the-wolfs-and-i-will-return-leading-the-pack/) Any > [Among the many factors that make a return to halcyon days of the first decades of the postwar era virtually impossible is the decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gilpin/among-the-many-factors-that-make-a-return-to-halcyon-days-of-the/) [Robert Gilpin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gilpin/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Rule number something or other -- never tell anybody anything unless you're going to get something better in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/rule-number-something-or-other-never-tell-anybody-anything-unless-you/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [The old men of the village of Mahotière say that the Mistress of the Water is a mulatto woman. 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He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More by Gloria Naylor > [“2)"Even though this planet is round, there are just too many spots where you can find yourself hanging on to the edge just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/2-even-though-this-planet-is-round-there-are-just-too-many-spots/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [The intelligence community, for the most part, has no accountability at all; to the Congress, to us the American people, and so they feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/the-intelligence-community-for-the-most-part-has-no-accountability-at/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [I don't believe that life is supposed to make you feel good, or make you feel miserable either. Life is just supposed to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/i-don-t-believe-that-life-is-supposed-to-make-you-feel-good-or-make/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [a star dies in heaven every time you snatch away someone's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/a-star-dies-in-heaven-every-time-you-snatch-away-someone-s-dream/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [Self-consciousness is really a form of egotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/self-consciousness-is-really-a-form-of-egotism/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [They all trying to say something with music that you can't say with plain talk. There ain't really no words for love or pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/they-all-trying-to-say-something-with-music-that-you-can-t-say-with/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [Not only is your story worth telling, but it can be told in words so painstakingly eloquent that it becomes a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/not-only-is-your-story-worth-telling-but-it-can-be-told-in-words-so/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [“I was so busy enjoying the change in you, I didn't notice it in myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/i-was-so-busy-enjoying-the-change-in-you-i-didn-t-notice-it-in-myself/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [“I never dreamed that she meant lights. Sparkling. Shimmering. Waves of light. We could see them from the front of the cafe. 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(3).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/1-school-isn-t-where-the-real-learning-happens-3/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [Old as he was, he still missed his daddy sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/old-as-he-was-he-still-missed-his-daddy-sometimes/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [In a contest between new technology and old ways of life, it is the traditional rhythms that will hold. Traditional societies make up more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/in-a-contest-between-new-technology-and-old-ways-of-life-it-is-the/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) > [Words themselves are innocuous; it is the consensus that gives them true power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-naylor/words-themselves-are-innocuous-it-is-the-consensus-that-gives-them/) [Gloria Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) [Explore all 54 Gloria Naylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-naylor/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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