My First Confessions

A short story is shorter than a novel, but longer than a poem. Often the action is focused on one event in a short period of time, and this event only evolves a few numbers of people. Because of the brevity the composition is in some way very tight. For example most the main topic of the story be introduced rather quickly.

“First confession” is a short story about an Irish boy Jackie and his relationship with his family. The main topic in the story is how people act when the modern life meets the old fashion or traditional way of living, and which tensions this “meeting” can cause.

Jackie represents the modern way of life. He is seven years old and is therefore very childish. He is from the beginning very jealous at his older sister Nora, because she receives presents from the grandmother every week, and Jackie does not. Because of this jealousy Jackie shows very violent sides, and he thinks very violent thoughts, for example that he wants to kill his grandmother. When I read the text, I got the impression, that Jackie feels a bit alone. He cannot really say any of these thoughts to anybody, most of all because he is aware, that no one would understand him. But then something happens when he had to make his first confession, he finds someone, who does not judge him right away, and this is of course the priest. This shows that Jackie is honest to the people he trust.

The priest is also a representative for the modern way of life. He is a young priest with a modern view of religion, he is understanding and judgemental. The grandmother would probably not agree with this priest. She would prefer a much more “ordinary” or old fashion priest, who believes in punishments. But a priest like that would never get through Jackie’s silence, and then Jackie would have been alone with his violent thoughts forever.

Of course the grandmother represents the old fashion or traditional way of living. She is described as a fat, ugly and old woman, who also is a bad cook. Because Jackie is the first person narrator, we only hear the story from his point of view. And this characterization sounds like to be very subjective. But no matter what she sounds to be a kind of a contrast to the priest. In her attempt to reach Jackie, she has failed. Jackie sees his grandmother as some kind of threat, instead of a person he can talk to, like he talks to the priest. This may be because she has a traditional way of raising children where punishments and rewards are central elements, unlike the priest’s method were talking to the child is the central element.

Nora is Jackie’s older sister, and she is the grandmother’s favourite. Nora never reveals her emotions she has an ability to fit in. Some would say that this is an example of dishonesty. She is unlike Jackie dishonest first of all to the grandmother, but perhaps also to herself. Others would say that it is a great example of discipline or self control. She gets money every week, and Jackie does not. And then the question