Absolution

Absolution is a haunting and psychologically rich short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, first published in 1924. In this deeply introspective tale of guilt, imagination, and spiritual crisis, young Rudolph Miller—a devout eleven-year-old boy—finds himself entangled in a web of religious expectations, private transgressions, and the fragile dance between truth and illusion. When he tells a lie during confession, a crisis of faith erupts, leading him down a path of inner turmoil that starkly mirrors the disillusionments of adulthood.

Narrated with quiet intensity by Roger Arnold, Absolution offers a glimpse into the conflicted soul of a child, and into the hollow rituals and emotional isolation of a rigid moral system. It is a brilliant standalone piece that also serves as a spiritual precursor to Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, exploring similar themes of self-invention and hidden guilt.