The+First+Confession+Summary

THE STORY BEGINS WHEN THE GRANDFATHER OF THE PROTAGONIST DIES. JACKIE, THE PROTAGONIST, BELIEVES THAT THIS IS WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTS SINCE HE IS CLOSER WITH HIS DECEASED GRANDFATHER AND HIS MOTHER RATHER THAN THE REST OF HIS FAMILY (INCLUDING HIS GRANDMOTHER, SISTER NORA, AND FATHER.) THE READER IS INFORMED EARLY ON THAT THE OLDER SISTER NORA IS FAVORITED BY THE GRANDMOTHER. HIS DISSATISFACTION FOR HIS SISTER NORA IS SHOWN WHEN HE LUNGES AT HER UNDER WITH A BUTTER KNIFE FROM UNDER THE DINNER TABLE. AFTER SEVERAL SIMILAR OCCURANCES, THE TIME FOR JACKIE'S FIRST CONFESSION CAME; HOWEVER, HE WAS FRIGHTENTED TO GO BECAUSE HIS SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER HAD TAUGHT HIM THAT IF HE MAKE A "BAD CONFESSION" HE WOULD BURN IN HELL AS DID THE MAN IN THE STORY SHE TOLD. BECAUSE HE WAS SO FRIGHTENED, HE FAKED A TOOTHACHE IN ATTEMPT TO GET OUT OF HIS FIRST CONFESSION, BUT ALAS, HIS MOTHER TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO CONFESSION THE VERY NEXT SATURDAY WITH NORA. ON THE WAY TO THE CHURCH, NORA WARNED JACKIE ABOUT MAKING A BAD CONFESSION, MAKING HIM MORE NERVOUS THAN HE ALREADY HAD BEEN. WHILE JACKIE WORRIED ABOUT MAKING A BAD CONFESSION, NORA WENT INTO THE CONFESSIONAL TO CONFESS HER SINS, BUT CAME OUT AFTER ONLY A FEW MINUTES. WHEN JACKIE'S TURN FINALLY CAME, HIS NERVES WERE EXPRESSED BY HIS INABILITY TO FUNCTION IN THE CONFESSIONAL. AT FIRST, THE PRIEST SCOLDED HIM FOR FAILING TO CARRY OUT A PROPER CONFESSION, BUT HE QUICKLY REALIZED HOW NERVOUS JACKIE WAS AND DECIDED TO LET HIM CONFESS AFTER EVERYONE ELSE HAD ALREADY GONE. WHEN JACKIE BEGAN CONFESSING HIS SINS, HE TOLD OF HOW HE PLANNED HIS GRANDMOTHER'S DEATH AND HOW HE HAD TRIED TO KILL HIS SISTER WITH A BREAD KNIFE. THE PRIEST SCOLDED HIM FOR BEING A WRETCHED CHILD, BUT NEVERTHELESS FORGAVE JACKIE OF HIS SINS AND GAVE HIM ONLY THREE HAIL MARY'S. THIS MAY BE BECAUSE THE FATHER SIDED WITH JACKIE'S VIEWS ON NORA WHEN HE SAID, "SOMEONE WILL GO FOR HER WITH A BREAD-KNIFE ONE DAY, AND HE WON'T MISS HER." WHEN JACKIE LEAVES THE CONFESSION ROOM, NORA IS STUNNED AT THE FACT THAT HE ONLY GOT THREE HAIL MARY'S WHEN HE WAS CONFESSED THE WORST OF SINS WHILE NORA TRIED ACTING LIKE AN ANGEL.

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