The Symbolism Of Religion And Comparison Essay

, Research Paper

The Symbolism of Religion and Comparison

In comparing the books “Confession of the Jews” and “First Confession”,

I have found there to be similarities and differences. For example, “First

Confession” deals with a boy converting from a boy to a young man by going to

confession and telling his sins for the first time. “Conversion of the Jews”

deals with converting a boy into someone he has never really seen which was a

free thinker which only older people usually do.

In “Conversion of the Jews” Ozzie, who was the main character, had a

problem with getting along with the priest Rabbi Binder at Hebrew School. Rabbi

Binder didn’t really like Ozzie because he was always asking a lot of questions

and Rabbi Binder was always getting angry at him. In “First Confession” Jackie,

the main character, also had a problem. Jackies problem was similar to Ozzies,

but also different. Jackie had a problem with his sister Nora. Nora believed

that Jackie was always lying and being bad. On his confession day his mother

sent Nora go with Jackie. Nora ordered Jackie to tell all of his sins, including

how he was mean to the grandmother who lived with them.

Ozzie seemed troubled to Rabbi Binder in “Conversion of the Jews”. In

reality Jackie wasn’t bad at all, he was just a boy who wanted answers to his

questions. And that was proved when Ozzie asked a question in class and Rabbi

Binder went crazy and hit Ozzie because he thought Ozzie was trying to be a wise

guy. So Ozzie tried to prove a point to Rabbi Binder and his fellow classmates

by running to the roof and making believe he was going to jump. With Ozzie

being on the roof it gave Rabbi Binder a bigger belief that Ozzie was crazy and

troubled. Ozzie wasn’t really crazy, he was just trying to make a point that he

really wasn’t dumb. Ozzie just wanted to believe that there was really a Christ.

So with the point that Ozzie was trying to make helped to convert everyone and

their beliefs.

Jackie, like Ozzie, was also troubled in “First Confession”. He was a

young boy who lived with his family, including the grandmother. Jackie believed

the grandmother didn’t like him very much, so he did mean things to her like

hide under the table when she cooked dinner. When it came time for his first

confession he went with his sister Nora. Nora tormented Jackie and scared him

into believing he was a sinner and he will pay for all of his sins. Jackie was

not as bad as Nora made him out to be, he was just being a normal young boy.

When Jackies turn was up to make his confession, he was unsure of what to do so

he did what he thought was right but messed up and ended up humiliating Nora.

In reality the priest did not find anything wrong with what Jackie did, the

priest actually found it to be very amusing. Jackie went ahead and told his

sins and ended up only having to say three hail Mary’s. Nora was in complete

shock and could not believe such a sinner got off with such an easy penance, but