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 Jackie did and also made good
friends with the priest.
Religion was very important in both stories. "First Confession" deals with being in
church and telling sins to a priest which is what most Catholics practice in a catholic
church. In "Conversion of the Jews" the children went to Hebrew School which was a way
for the Jews to practice their religion. The two stories are different in religion ways
but they are the same for the ways they preach and how it is taught.
In comparing the two boys, I would have to say that they are very similar in ways of
their conscience. Ozzie was scared to get in trouble and he did not do it on purpose
but it always happened that he did get in trouble. He just wanted to be taught about his
religion the right way but he felt he never got the answers he needed to his questions
which led him to the roof. He knew it was not right for him to jump off the roof, so he
just tormented everyone into thinking he was going to jump. He had a guilty conscience
because he knew everyone was starting to worry, but he stayed until he proved his point.
As for Jackie, I believe his sister Nora gave him a conscience. She made him believe he
was very bad and only sinned all the time. He did not feel so bad when he was doing the
wrong things, but he did feel bad when it was time to confess. Even though he had a
conscience of believing he was bad, the priest did not think he was so bad. By telling
the priest all of his sins, Jackie was relieved of his guilty conscience and was finally
able to feel good about himself.
Not only was their conscience that made them similar, but also their identity. Ozzie
and Jackie both found who they were in the two stories. Ozzie always believed he was just
a trouble maker because that is what he always heard, but I knew he really was not a
trouble maker. Ozzie did what he did for a purpose including going to the roof. Being on
the roof helped him realize what was going on around him. It helped him realize who he
was and what he was becoming. Ozzie was just a boy wanting to learn without getting into
trouble. Jackie found who he was while telling the priest his sins, all of them. Jackie
really was not bad, everyone just told him that he was all the time, so that is what he
started believing. He was just a boy doing and acting how young boys act. All little
kids, including girls, are not perfect, so how can anyone expect Jackie to be perfect.
Just because Nora believed she was perfect does not mean Jackie is bad because he does
not follow how Nora acts. Jackie found his true self while telling the priest all of his
sins, which made him feel he can actually live with himself.
Reading both stories gave me a sense of what both religions are like. I'm catholic and
already know what it is like to go to confession, but I never had an experience like
Jackie. I am very familiar with the Jewish religion, but never heard of Ozzies
experience, not that it even happens in everyday life.
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