First Confession

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First Confession

• Author Frank OConnor
• Presented By Kristy Roberts and Danielle
  Schilling

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Character Sketch

• Jackie seven year old boy with no comprehension
  of consequences. Terrified of his first trip to
  religious confession.
• Nora older sister of Jackie, annoying and
  provoking
• Grandma plays off favoritism, uses old world
  tactics, and is unacceptable according to Jackie
• Mother kind-hearted and loving
• Father epitome of man, very stern and strong,
  non-emotional
• Mrs. Ryan damning, very stern and set in
  her ways
• Priest good listener, understanding, forgiving,
  persuasive, and good willed

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Critical Questions Danielles
Response Kristys Response

• Question 1 What is the significance of the
  title?
• The title explains the story which is about a
  young boy who is going to his first confession.
• 1. First Confession symbolizes the young
  narrators first religious confession.

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• Question 2 How is the story told? Who is the
  narrator? What perspective is used? What is the
  tone of the language? Is the narrator reliable?
• The story is told in first person and the
  narrator is a young boy by the name of Jackie.
  Jackie uses The tone of the language is
  jealousy and the narrator is not reliable due to
  the fact it is a jealous young boy who can not
  get his own way.
• 2. First Confession is told in first person
  from the prospective of a 7 year old boy named
  Jackie. The tone is that of naivety and jealousy.
  The narrator is not reliable because Jackie is a
  child.

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• Question 3 Look closely at the opening and
  ending. On what does the author and narrator
  focus?
• 3. At the beginning of the story, Jackie,
  explains how he dislikes his grandmother very
  strongly and how he is jealous of his sister,
  Nora because their grandmother gives her pennies
  at the end of every week. At the end of the
  story though, Nora is jealous of Jackie because
  the priest tells him to say only three Hail
  Marys for the things he has done.
• 3. In the opening of the story, the narrator
  dislikes his grandmother and is jealous of his
  sister. The grandmother gives his sister, Nora,
  pennies each week but doesnt give them to
  Jackie. In the end, roles are reversed and Nora
  is jealous that Jackie has developed a
  relationship with the priest he repented to.

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• Question 4 How does the character transform in
  the story?
• 4. Jackie at the beginning of the story was a
  jealous young boy but after confession realizes
  that there are more important things than wanting
  what other people have.
• 4. In the beginning, Jackie is naïve and is
  frightened to go to his first confession thanks
  to the persuasion of his sister, Nora. In the
  end, Jackie realizes there was never a need to be
  jealous of his sister and gains confidence in
  himself. He learns honesty is the best policy.

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• Question 5 What is the major theme of the story?
  Explicate. Are there any minor themes?
• 5. The major theme of the story is to prove that
  jealousy is waste of time and does not cause
  anything but problems.
• 5. The theme of this story involves jealousy and
  naïve honesty. The little boy speaks of how he
  wants to kill his grandmother and sister as if it
  was nothing. A miscomprehension of consequences
  made this story believable in the mind of a seven
  year old.

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• Question 6 Are there any allusions in the story
  that could add meaning to your interpretation?
• In the story there is an allusion of the bible
  that refers to the Hail Mary and in the Catholic
  faith, confession.
• 6. There are several allusions to the
  Catholic faith and Bible. The priest commands
  Jackie to say three Hail Marys.

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Hail Mary

• Hail Mary,Full of Grace,The Lord is with
  thee.Blessed art thou among women,and blessed
  is the fruitof thy womb, Jesus.Holy
  Mary,Mother of God,pray for us sinners now,and
  at the hour of death.
• Amen.

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• Question 7 What are the symbols or other
  figurative elements of the story?
• In the story, Mrs. Ryan talks about the priest
  being woke up in the middle of the night by a man
  wanting to make a confession. When the priest
  comes back into the room and looks at his bed he
  sees two hand prints burnt into the railing.
  Those hands represent the devil who can make an
  impression in our life if we allow him too.
• 7. Same as above.

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• Question 8 What seems to be the authors primary
  goal/purpose in writing this short story?
• Frank OConnor is writing this story because a
  young boy is jealousy be cause he is not
  receiving the same prizes and attention his
  sister is which then shows you how dumb jealousy
  is and sounds.
• 8. The authors primary purpose in writing this
  story is to entertain the reader and to show the
  naivety of children.

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• Question 9 What is your reaction to this story?
  How does your reaction influence your reading?
• 9. Personally I found the story to be humorous
  which allowed me to enjoy the short story.
• 9. I actually enjoyed this short story. Seeing
  the bold honesty from a young boy was
  entertaining.