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Frank O'Connor

First Confession

More questions to challenge you!

Keith Tankard
Knowledge4Africa.com
Updated: 6 March 2014
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Jackie is a young Irish boy who is being forced to make his first confession.

He is terrified of the ordeal because he has several sins which he feels he must hide but this would constitute a "Bad Confession".

The punishment for a "Bad Confession" would be an eternity in hell.

His confession, however, proves to be very different from what he expected.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frank O'Connor was the only child of Michael O'Donovan and Minnie O'Connor. He was born in Cork (Ireland) in 1903 and was baptised Michael O'Donovan.

His was a poor family, his father being a brutal drunkard. Because his mother was forced to look after the family, O'Connor fell heavily under her spell.

He would later choose to publish under his mother's maiden name -- hence Frank O'Connor -- rather than bring honour to his father who despised his literary abilities.

O'Connor was thoroughly Irish, and fought for a time with the Irish Republican Army in their 1918 rebellion again the British.

Later he became a school master and librarian, and wrote numerous short stories and some novels -- although this literary activity was always as a hobby.

Many of his writings were based upon his own experiences.

He taught for a time in America, and it was while he was at Stanford University that he had a stroke in 1961.

He thereupon returned to Ireland but died of a heart attack in Dublin in March 1966 at the age of 63.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?
TEST YOURSELF!
Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:



Refer to Jackie's first attempt at confession:
  • Why is the confessional dark inside? (2)

[Need help?]

  • Comment on the bizarre happenings in the confessional. (4)

[Need help?]

  • The priest does not realise that Jackie is inside the confessional. Why does he not realise this? (4)

[Need help?]

  • Comment on the priest's sudden change of allegiance: from being angry with Jackie to defending him. (4)

[Need help?]




Jackie at last is able to make his confession.
  • Comment on the priest's reaction to all the sins that Jackie confesses. (4)

[Need help?]

  • Why is Nora so incredulous and upset when Jackie tells her about his confession? (4)

[Need help?]




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