“First Confession”

1. “First Confession”

2. Story Map Review • Setting • Characters • Conflicts • Outcome • Themes

3. Metaphor • Definition- comparison of two unlike things that actually have something in common, without using “like” or “as” • Examples: • “He was a lion in the fight” • “Love is a rose.” • "The streets were a furnace, the sun an executioner.“ • "Humor is the shock absorber of life; it helps us take the blows.“ • You come up with one!

5. Simile • Definition—comparison of two things, using “like” or “as” • “It’s been a hard day, and I’ve been working like a dog.” • “His skin was as cold as ice.” • “He eats like a pig.” • You come up with one! • Significance—similes add emphasis to words and can make descriptions more vivid

6. …LIKE A…

7. Diction • Diction: Element of style an author’s word choice; affects tone; determined based on purpose and audience • Example: "Dearest reader, I humbly entreat you to eschew the latest celebrity tittle-tattle and instead devote your attention to diction and tone." Sophisticated/elevated word choice—very formal versus "Listen up! Drop the gossip magazine and get with the diction/tone program!" Informal/colloquial word choice—used with peers/friends/people of equal or lower “status”

8. Tone • Definition: implied attitude of the author/speaker toward the subject/audience; determined by diction • What are some adjectives you can think of to describe tone? • How does tone influence the meaning of a text?

9. Tone Words

10. Connotation and Denotation • Denotation: the literal, “dictionary definition” meaning of a word • Connotation: the commonly understood, subjective cultural association of meaning with a word, in addition to the dictionary definition • For example, we use many different terms for young people. While “little one” and “brat” both literally refer to a young person, “little one” usually has a positive connotation (association), whereas “brat” typically has a negative connotation. You wouldn’t want to compliment a young mother by calling her child a “cute little brat.” • Other examples: • “Stink” versus “aroma” versus “smell” • “Reckless” plan versus “daring” plan • “Easygoing” friend versus “lazy” friend • Answer with “arrogance” versus answer with “confidence”

11. Positive, Negative, and Neutral Connotations POSITIVE= “LITTLE ONE” NEUTRAL=CHILD NEGATIVE=BRAT

12. Positive, Negative, and Neutral Connotations POSITIVE= “STROLLING” NEUTRAL=“WALKING” NEGATIVE=“TRUDGING”

13. “First Confession” Analytical Questions

14. Point of View • Describe the narrator of the story. Support your description with specific details. • Imagine if the story were told through a different point of view—maybe the priest, the sister, or an objective narrator. What would be lost? • What kind of relationship does Jackie have with his family? • How does Jackie’s point of view as a child (when telling the story) seem to differ from the author’s perspective as an adult? Discuss the following plot details. • Jackie’s attitude about his grandmother/ her terrible vices • Mrs. Ryan’s tale of the burned handprints • Jackie’s explanation for the long silence after confessing his plan to kill his grandmother • Jackie’s plan for disposing of the body

15. Character/ Characterization • In what ways is Jackie not entirely naïve, but sometimes shrewd and perceptive? • What character traits does the priest display? How does he differ from Mrs. Ryan?

16. Theme • Do you believe a possible message of the story is that, as Nora claims at the end, there is no point in trying to live a virtuous life? Why or why not?

17. Suspense • How does O’Connor create suspense in the story?

18. Allusion/Simile • As Nora and Jackie walk to the chapel, Jackie describes the “sunlit hillsides beyond the valley of the river, which I saw in the gaps between the houses like Adam’s last glimpse of Paradise.” What is the allusion, and why is it appropriate?

19. Tone • What parts did you find to be particularly humorous?