A First Confession free essay sample

Learning plays an essential role in life. We learn something new everyday. In Frank O’Connor’s short story, â€Å"The First Confession†, Jackie, the main character, learns a lesson he won’t ever forget. After Jackie’s first confession, he was confident that he was not a sinner, and Nora, his sister, was wrong. While others focused on Jackie’s wrong doings; they weren’t focusing on their own wrong actions. Lack of knowledge can bring people into a whole different reality; ignorance can blind them from their own sins. Nora, and Jackie’s grandmother alike, are hypocrites. Jackie is trying to conquer the fear of telling his first confession. Jackie’s problems began when his grandmother comes to live at his family’s house. He detested her for being an alcoholic, untidy ill-mannered woman. Most of all, he was upset that he was excluded from the penny allowance that Nora gets. We will write a custom essay sample on A First Confession or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jackie’s grandma favors Nora in all that the children do. Jackie is constantly embarrassed of her because she always has alcohol in a mug in her hand. Because his sister and grandmother always sided against him, Jackie’s life became intolerable. He was forced to face his fear of confessing sins for the first time. Nora takes Jackie to church to make his confession. Jackie had many thoughts in his mind, such as what to confess and what prayers to say, not to mention how to get into the confessional in the first place. Jackie nervously waited as people filed in and out of the confessional. He watched Nora walk out reverently after she has confessed her sins. Sturm 2 Nora was very dishonest and cruel but managed to appear guiltless by hiding behind an innocent smile. Nora was rude to Jackie but insisted that she was very religious and had no sin. She made Jack nervous to confess and made him feel bad and question all that he had done in his life. Through all the trouble she put her brother through, Nora claimed to be holy. Jackie’s turn to confess came and after confessing his plot to kill his grandmother, the priest was light hearted and joked with Jackie. Towards the end, the priest offers to take a walk with Jackie. Nora becomes extremely jealous that Jackie gets this privilege and questions why he was given such a short penance. Throughout the story, the priest is humorous and full of life. He makes jokes while in the confessional, comforts Jackie, and even gives him candy! O’Connor portrayed him this way to show that confession is not always the dictionary definition that many make it out to be. It is truly about eeling relieved and renewed, not about being scared and given a large penance. Jackie learned that he could confess his sins and that there was room for goodness in his heart, despite his plan to kill his grandmother and his high annoyance level with Nora. Nora and the grandmother were blinded by their ignorance, they could not see that although they appeared to be reverent and have a full understanding of the sacrament. Both are hypocritical characters, they did not live out the attitudes they were trying to portra y.