Frank O'Connor's the First Confession

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Recommended: Do a reflection about self development

Learning plays an essential role in life. We learn something new everyday. In Frank O'Connor's short story "The First Confession", Jackie, the main character, learns a lesson he'll always remember. After Jackie's first confession, he could now be confident that he was not such a sinner, and that Nora, his sister, was wrong. While people focused on Jackie's own wrong doings, they weren't focusing on their own wrong actions. Sometimes people's ignorance can bring them into a whole different reality. Through certain characters and different incidents, O'Connor stresses his theme that people's ignorance can blind them from their own sins.

The main character's sister in the story, Nora, was blinded by her own ignorance. She was very dishonest, but hid it all behind an innocent look and nice smile. Every Friday her grandmother would get pension pay. She would suck up every penny she could from the grandma. She would pick on Jackie for her own entertainment. When it was her turn for confession, she was in and out in a matter of seconds. "Her eyes were lowered, her head was bowed, and her hands were joined very low down on her stomach, and she walked up the aisle to the side altar looking like a saint." (333). All before this confession, Nora was torturing Jackie on the walk in. She was very devious. She went from one personality to another, covering up her evil doings. Her dishonesty was recognized by the priest though. He wasn't fooled by her charm or devious ways. Nora had herself fooled. She was a sinner herself, yet she considered herself a saint. She looked down upon Jackie, and saw him as the sinner. She was truly blinded by her own ignorance of what is right and wrong. According to her beliefs though, she'll be paying fo...

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.... She looks down upon other people, blinded by her own ignorance. She accuses other people of being sinners, when in fact she is the one doing all the sinning. She gets away with a lot of wrong doings and really shouldn't be. Her grandmother sides with her in every incidence. The grandmother looks down on Jackie and thinks he's a bad grandson. She would reward Jackie with a scolding and Nora with pennies. Jackie seemed to be the only character that was not blinded by his ignorance. He feared confession, but it paid off after all. His honesty and loyalty were recognized by the priest. He realized that sometimes people let their ignorance get in the way of what's right and what's wrong. If only more people in society today could be more honest and caring. We wouldn't be caught up in everything that is going on, and we could live our lives in a more peaceful manner.

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