Written and directed by Maggie Betts, “Novitiate” is an American drama film that focuses on the journey of a young woman who, during the 1960s, opts to become a nun during the tumultuous times of the Roman Catholic Church. “Novitiate” strongly captures faith, inner turmoil, and devotion to religion and the world around them. The film features a remarkable and powerful cast consisting of Melissa Leo, Dianna Agron, Julianne Nicholson, and Margaret Quailey. It relays the often unspoken stories of women who serve religion. The film highlights the struggle of women who serve religion with the independent woman she has become.
The film captures the narrative of a convent during the 1960s, with the drama encompassed around the region of Tennessee. These years marked the commencement of drastic changes in the Roman Catholic Church, in an effort to ‘open the Church to the world.’
These changes were designed to make the Church more approachable and relevant to the contemporary age. The changes concerned the language used during services, the work of the priests and nuns, and the application of regulations in the life of the Church, among other matters. These developments feature prominently in the film, providing various external and internal obstacles for the figures in question.
Plot Summary
Cathleen Harris is the protagonist, and she was brought up in a secular family, with a single parent — her mother, Nora. Even though her mother is a skeptic when it comes to religion, she is the first to expose Cathleen to the Catholic Church. While still very young and even receiving a schloarship to attend a Catholic School, Cathleen embraces the Church. A Catholic school was accessible to her. Cathleen was a Catholic School elementary pupil. Cathleen was Catholic School elementary pupil. The Church offers as much solace as it does structure.
Now, Cathleen, seventeen years of age and in the convent for the first time, decides to take the first step in the endeavor to become a nun. She then commences her novitiate period — a period of time during which she is mentally and physically prepared to take the final vows. She prays, and during the period of spiritual study, she is instructed and accompanied by more senior sisters, chief among them the rigid and very traditional Mother Superior.
Upon embracing the customs and strategic workings of the convent, Cathleen pivots toward the complexities and the charms of dedicating one’s entire life to a spiritual vocation. There are a wide array of expectations which are set such as for example, silence, modesty, fasting, and submissiveness. All of these are designed to assist the women in strengthening and nurturing their bond with the Divine.
Categorically, the Mother Superior, expertly played by Melissa Leo, has a Church-centered vision. She unfavorably and fearfully views the Vatican II reforms, given that they are poised to erode the life of devotion and piety. With the upheaval in the expectations and structure of the convent, the Mother finds the undulating nature of the Church to be withstanding her reluctance and acceptance.
On the other hand, this is the time Cathleen is also encountering difficult moments in her personal spirituality. Though her devotion is unassailable, she has to come to the painful conclusion that such a lifetime is hard to devote for. These seem to be accompanied by burdensome self doubt, aspirations, and an implantable pathway.
Cathleen and the rest of the young women of the convent experience periods of contemplation and emotional maturation. Some of them begin to wonder if they have made the right decision to embrace the religious life while others desperately try to retain. The narrative demonstrates how each woman’s experience is different and molded by their individual conviction, sentiment and the shifting world around them.
Main Characters
Cathleen Harris (Margaret Qualley)
Cathleen is an uncomplicated, dedicated and spiritually inquisitive woman. Her desire to settle in the convent is self-generated and not as a result of the intentions of other people. It is through her that the film analyzes the difficulties of making life defining decisions at an early age in one’s life.
Mother Superior (Melissa Leo)
The head of the convent is The Mother Superior and she epitomizes conservative forms of ecclesiastical power. She is mentally tough, self-disciplined, and religiously devoted. Emotions of grief and loss of the tradition sacred to her, which is something she, unfortunately, cannot escape. The internal and external tensions she endures lends this film emotional complexity.
Sister Mary Grace (Dianna Agron)
Sister Mary Grace demonstrates a more gentle approach toward the members of the convent. She offers support to the younger members and fosters intelligent conversation. She represents a more modern approach toward faith and mentoring.
Nora Harris (Julianne Nicholson)
Nora Harris, who is Cathleen’s mother, represents the outside secular world. She is critical of her daughter’s decisions yet, to her credit, attempts to understand her. This relationship is emblematic of the widening gap of understanding that exists within families when there is a clash of belief and lifestyle.
Themes and Messages
- Belief and Faith In Novitiate, the relationship between belief and doubt is critical to the story being told. Cathleen’s story, and that of her fellow characters, demonstrates faith to require belief, and often the journey to the belief is through doubt.
- Freedom and Discipline The relationship between discipline of a religion and the individual’s personal choice is examined. The convent’s rules and regulations, while meant to aid novices in attaining spiritual clarity, creates within them, emotional conflict. The narrative challenges one toward the realization of the paradox of when discipline becomes helping versus hindering.
- Change and Tradition
One of the Vatican II reforms is change. The film demonstrates how, like people, institutions also have to adjust to their environment. The changes, for the Mother Superior and many other traditionalists, are frightening and puzzling, but for others, they are growth and hope.
- Identity and Belonging
The film gently explores the various ways in which identity is shaped. Each of the novices has to reflect on the age-old existential question, “Is this life truly for me?” The film’s focus makes us aware that one’s identity is not only shaped by the company one keeps, but also by the choices one makes and the beliefs one professes. The film does not shy away from showing how arduous, often painful and complicated, the journey of self-discovery can be.
Visual and Emotional Tone
The film’s use of spatial composition is soft and contemplative; the images ‘capture’ the quietness of convent life in long, still frames. Silences are long, like prayers, and the pacing slow; this invites reflection, over which they have a right but which they often forgo. When they themselves feel troubled, they scream, for the music and lights grant a sense of separation, which perhaps they call peace, from the movie.
Conclusion
Novitiate is not a movie composed of dramatic turn of events or ostentatious actions. Rather, it is a reflective examination of religion, one’s self, and one’s self-alteration. It’s a nuanced approach to the world of spirituality and its concomitant challenges. Characters are treated with care and compassion, resulting in emotional arcs that feel authentic and well-developed.
If a viewer is in the mood for a more intricate narrative, focuses on self-betterment, or films that navigate a more conservative and progressive viewpoint, Novitiate is a worthwhile and enriching film to watch. It encourages us to reflect on the nature of one’s philosophy, the traditions one undertakes, and the audacity to pursue a driven-head course of action.
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