DOUBT JOURNAL 1

 This journal will be covering two lines from Sister Aloysius.

1. “I’m sorry I’m not more forthright, but I must be careful not to create something by saying it” (15). I believe Sister Aloyisius when she says this. She is wary of her suspicions as there is no irrefutable evidence against Father Flynn, and she wants to be certain that she is correct, because if she isn’t, her career is over. She is worried about the same thing Flynn describes in his sermon about gossip: if it is not true, it might as well be since everyone will soon know about it and words cannot be unsaid -- thoughts cannot be unthought. And she will cause harm and it will be her fault. Yet I also might doubt her. Father Flynn represents a new, younger generation that brings fonder education styles (not a euphemism), secular pageants, and she might subconsciously detest him, even without the child abuse. Maybe she wishes that it is true so that she will be able to get rid of him and be able to control the school as she did before him.

2. “I don’t believe he knows who’s President of the United States. I mean him no disrespect of course” (19). Here, Sister A is referring to the elderly monsignor Benedict. I believe she does mean disrespect: she would not have added this afterthought if it had not crossed her mind. She does not like the monsignor, or rather, what he represents — her lack of power and voice in the school.