First Confession by: Frank OConnor

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First Confessionby Frank OConnor

• Presented by Megan Alexander
• And Tyler Mooney

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Short Summary

• The story is about a young boy seven years old,
  getting ready for his first confession in the
  Catholic Church.
• He is scared of this confession because he wants
  to kill his grandmother( who has recently moved
  in with the family) and also tried to kill his
  sister with a butter knife.
• He blames his grandmother for all the recent
  troubles in the family and can only see his
  confession being bad, and if he told a bad
  confession he would burn in the flames of hell.
• During his confession he admits to all his sins,
  learning that honesty is the best policy since
  the priest was very friendly toward Jackie.

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Significance of the Title

• the title summarizes the main event in the story
  of a first confession
• It gives reference to how all of our firsts in
  life are scary, but the best way to get through
  them is to not be afraid
• This title makes us relate to the story in
  reminiscing of our own firsts

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Narration

• The story is told in the first person point of
  view by the protagonist, Jackie
• The perspective used is detached autobiography,
  in which the narrator are the main character
  guiding the reader through the story
• The tone of the language is of a scared resentful
  seven year old boy.
• He is reliable to his own perspective of the
  story but there is always doubt whether the story
  is true when told through first person narration.

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Focus of Beginning and Ending

• The author focuses on trying to present the
  narrator as honest and truthful.
• In the beginning the narrator says he is too
  honest, and he cannot make himself seem better
  than he really is, but in the end he is rewarded
  for this honesty by becoming friends with the
  priest.

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Allusions

• There is reference to the Bible, when the cock
  crows three time and then Peter betrays Jesus
  three times.

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Character Transformation

• In the beginning Jackie, the narrator, is a
  frightened young boy who is scared of going
  because of telling the truth.
• In the end he faces his fears of going to
  confession and learns to tell the truth even if
  he is ashamed of it.

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Major Theme

• HONESTY
• Jackie is honest to the priest, understanding how
  the truth will set you free
• Nora, his sister, becomes aggravated with Jackie
  because after all those years of being bad, his
  only punishment from the priest was three Hail
  Marys.

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Minor Themes

• Over coming fears
• Although Jackie did not want to go to confession,
  he faces and overcomes this fear

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The Authors Goal

• The story shows irony in Jackies confession, by
  allowing his first confession be a very memorable
  one.
• Jackie purposely misses the confession when the
  whole class goes, but then only to discover that
  his evil sister has to take him.
• The authors goal to renew the faith in honesty
  and truth was accomplish in a very ironic and
  funny way.

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Reactions

• We thought that this story was very ironic and
  true. The transformation of Jackie in the story
  showed how honesty is the best policy.