First Confession Characters

Jackie is a seven-year-old boy from an Irish Catholic family. He lives with his mother, father, sister Nora, and grandmother, whom he loathes. Jackie can be judgmental and hypocritical, as when… read analysis of Jackie

Nora is Jackie’s older sister. She is obedient to her parents, polite to Gran, and takes responsibility for Jackie’s behavior while caring for him. Because she is close with Gran, Gran gives her… read analysis of Nora

The priest is a gentle and humorous Catholic priest who hears Jackie’s first confession. When Jackie first meets him after falling out of the confessional, the priest appears to offer mercy, as the church… read analysis of The Priest

Gran is Jackie’s father’s mother. She is “a real old-country woman” with manners that disgust Jackie and displease Jackie’s mother: she eats potatoes with her hands, drinks beer at dinner, and walks… read analysis of Gran

The father of Jackie and Nora, husband of Mother, and son of Gran. Father beats Jackie for refusing to sit with Gran and for going after Nora with a bread-knife. After their… read analysis of Father

The mother of Jackie and Nora and husband of Father, Mother’s main role in the story is despising Gran’s manners and stopping her husband from beating Jackie. When their father won’t speak to… read analysis of Mother