FIRST CONFESSION BY FRANK O'CONNOR

First Confession by Frank O'Connor



First Confession by Frank O'Connor

Introduction

In the story "First Confession," Frank O'Connor uses many methods of writing to convey his ideas about the first confession and communion of a young 7-year-old boy named Jackie. There is a great deal of conflict between Jackie and the other members of his family, especially Ryan and his sister Nora. The religious people around him convinced him that he was a sinner and gave him a horrible fear of hell and confession. In the end, Jackie would learn that he was better than the rest and that he wasn't all that bad after all. By studying all of the author's different ways of conveying ideas, one can try and understand the overall theme of the story. The theme in this story is that truth is always the best policy, good will come out of honesty in the end; and those who are not honest will pay for it in the long run, showing that what comes around goes around.

Discussion

Throughout the story, "First Confession," O'Connor uses Jackie as the first-person narrator, which helps build up to the theme. "First-person narrators or speakers frequently express ideas along with their depiction of actions and situations, and they also make statements from which you can make inferences about ideas" (467). Jackie expresses his fear of hell and confession, which was instilled in him by an old woman named Ryan and his sister Nora. Ryan was a woman who was most likely a sister, since she wore a black cloak and bonnet. She would go to Jackie's school everyday to prepare the students for confession and communion.

In 'First Confession' Jackie, the main character, also had a problem. Jackie had a problem with his sister Nora. Nora believed that Jackie was always lying ...