I apologize for the tardiness of my reply to your comment (below) dated 21 April 2009. I watched the film to be sure of my response to you.
You are right, "the story continues", stories always continue, even after the film is over, even after “the end”. …but let’s back up a bit. I examined the scenes that came after the priest gave the sermon on gossip. Neither nun questioned him about the veracity of the story.
It is also true that we can “weave morality" or anything else to our advantage. I think this and the damage that can be caused by deliberately practicing this form of lying, is the point of this film.
The "Mother Superior" was not attempting anything so unselfish as to help the Parish Priest to see his subjectivity as you think. It is established in the opening scenes that she wants absolute power over this church and had obviously been enjoying it for some time before the new priest arrived. What we are seeing play out is a power struggle. The old nun is intolerant of anything she perceives as being out of step with her personal belief system. She micromanages everyone and at every turn she makes sure to let everyone around her knows who is in charge. She wants everyone to obey her, even the parish priest. In her mind the only aim of all of the subordinate nuns and all the children in their relationship to her is supposed to be to agree with her, or to remain invisible in her sight or out of her hearing range. The parish priest is quite the opposite.
You are right, "the story continues", stories always continue, even after the film is over, even after “the end”. …but let’s back up a bit. I examined the scenes that came after the priest gave the sermon on gossip. Neither nun questioned him about the veracity of the story.
It is also true that we can “weave morality" or anything else to our advantage. I think this and the damage that can be caused by deliberately practicing this form of lying, is the point of this film.
The "Mother Superior" was not attempting anything so unselfish as to help the Parish Priest to see his subjectivity as you think. It is established in the opening scenes that she wants absolute power over this church and had obviously been enjoying it for some time before the new priest arrived. What we are seeing play out is a power struggle. The old nun is intolerant of anything she perceives as being out of step with her personal belief system. She micromanages everyone and at every turn she makes sure to let everyone around her knows who is in charge. She wants everyone to obey her, even the parish priest. In her mind the only aim of all of the subordinate nuns and all the children in their relationship to her is supposed to be to agree with her, or to remain invisible in her sight or out of her hearing range. The parish priest is quite the opposite.
What the young nun actually asks the priest after the Gossip sermon is:
Sr. James: “Was your sermon directed at anyone in particular?”
Priest: "What do you think?”
Sr. James: “Is it true?”
Priest: “What?”
Sr. James: “You know what I’m asking.” (She is referring to the accusations of the older nun)
Priest: “No.”
She questions him further during this scene about the "evidence" she and the older nun gathered. He explains his motives for his behavior with the boy to her satisfaction. She no longer doubts him - at this point. That she believes the Priest then brings on a harangue at her from the "Mothe Superior" during which she attacks Sr. James for being "gullible" and "naive". After this terrible attack, Sister James doubts her own ability to discern reality from fantasy and doubts not only the priest again when she sees him walking through the hall hugging the boy, but herself.
Peace to you.
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