First Confession
Alexandro Ramirez
English 1302
Professor Robin Russell
4/12/13
Critical Essay #1 “First Confession” At the beginning of the story, O’Connor, in the short story, “First Confession”, may use the all-knowing or omniscient point of view. He describes to choose any act of the character and any thought of the character, and he tells the goodness and the bad side of the character. Instead the story is written in first person point of view. The narrator in this story is also the main character, or protagonist. This way the reader is allow to the see the world in the eyes of Jackie, and his point of view about his grandmother, Nora, and Mrs. Ryan, and women itself. Jackie does not stand her grandmother at all, he relates her as the source of his entire problems, “and all because of that old woman!” Even thou his grandmother lives with him, because of the dead of his grandfather, he was actually afraid of her, he had to make excuses to his friend so he won’t go inside his house to play because, “because I could never be sure what she would be up to.” He also is disgusted by the woman’s love of porter beer, her inclination to eat potatoes with her hands, “she had a jug of porter and a pot of potatoes with-some-times-a bit of salt fish, and she poured out the potatoes on the table and ate them slowly, with great relish, using her fingers by way of a fork,” and of course favoring Nora, “she knew Mother saw through her, so she sided with Gran.” Nora his old sister was a pain to Jackie, she often was picking on him, and got him into trouble, “Oh, Dadda, do you know what Jackie did at dinnertime?" Then, of course, it all came out; Father gave me a flaking; Mother interfered, and for days after that he didn't speak to me and Mother barely spoke to Nora.” Even thou Jackie is really nervous and afraid for his first confession, because he doesn’t want to tell the priest he wanted to kill his grandmother, Nora instead of supporting him, she was playing with this mind, “She
English 1302
Professor Robin Russell
4/12/13
Critical Essay #1 “First Confession” At the beginning of the story, O’Connor, in the short story, “First Confession”, may use the all-knowing or omniscient point of view. He describes to choose any act of the character and any thought of the character, and he tells the goodness and the bad side of the character. Instead the story is written in first person point of view. The narrator in this story is also the main character, or protagonist. This way the reader is allow to the see the world in the eyes of Jackie, and his point of view about his grandmother, Nora, and Mrs. Ryan, and women itself. Jackie does not stand her grandmother at all, he relates her as the source of his entire problems, “and all because of that old woman!” Even thou his grandmother lives with him, because of the dead of his grandfather, he was actually afraid of her, he had to make excuses to his friend so he won’t go inside his house to play because, “because I could never be sure what she would be up to.” He also is disgusted by the woman’s love of porter beer, her inclination to eat potatoes with her hands, “she had a jug of porter and a pot of potatoes with-some-times-a bit of salt fish, and she poured out the potatoes on the table and ate them slowly, with great relish, using her fingers by way of a fork,” and of course favoring Nora, “she knew Mother saw through her, so she sided with Gran.” Nora his old sister was a pain to Jackie, she often was picking on him, and got him into trouble, “Oh, Dadda, do you know what Jackie did at dinnertime?" Then, of course, it all came out; Father gave me a flaking; Mother interfered, and for days after that he didn't speak to me and Mother barely spoke to Nora.” Even thou Jackie is really nervous and afraid for his first confession, because he doesn’t want to tell the priest he wanted to kill his grandmother, Nora instead of supporting him, she was playing with this mind, “She