This time, I'm looking at a first sentence without having read the rest of the book. That's just what a potential reader would do! What has James Baldwin already set up, in one sentence?
We have a person, John. He hasn't grown up yet. John is a common name, and the name of one of Jesus' apostles, so it fits as the name for the son of a preacher. (James, the author's name, shares the first letter, the popularity, and the connection to an apostle as well.)
We also have the people who surround him. The narrator calls them "everyone" and they share a single opinion; the word "always" implies a long history and no breaks; "preacher" places him in a religious community; and finally, we hear his heritage: "just like his father."
That's one John against the full weight community, history, and family. James Baldwin is already promising me the story of how John rebels or finds himself against these forces. I'm interested.
I like the rhythm of this one, too. Try reading it aloud. It rolls.
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