Father Flynn
Father Flynn is a priest at a Catholic church in the Bronx in 1964. He is characterized as progressive and friendly—he prides himself on being approachable and amiable with the students at the parish. In the film's opening scene, he delivers a powerful sermon on the topics of doubt and uncertainty. He argues that if each person were to be transparent about their own doubt, which is integral to their humanity, relationships would be strengthened by honesty. This sermon prompts Sister Aloysius, the principal of the parish school, to question Father Flynn and his conduct with his students.
Father Flynn later comes under fire for the suspicions surrounding the nature of his relationship with Donald Miller, the first African-American student at the school. Though he insists that his attention to Donald is grounded upon his love and desire to protect the boy, Sister Aloysius believes that the priest is abusing his power and engaging in a sexual relationship. Throughout the film, Father Flynn fights to defend himself against the allegations brought against him.
Donald Miller
Donald Miller is the first African-American student at the Catholic parish school. Donald appears to find comfort and happiness in the church. He listens intently to Father Flynn's sermons, and he tells the priest that he, too, hopes to lead a congregation someday. Although he gets consistently tormented by his white peers, he continues to serve the church as an altar boy. Father Flynn gives Donald a toy dancer in order to demonstrate his encouragement of Donald and his goals.
After Donald Miller is called out of Sister James's class to meet with Father Flynn, the young nun is alerted of a potential relationship between the two. She tells Sister Aloysius, and the investigation begins. Sister Aloysius speaks to Mrs. Miller, Donald's mother, who tells the nun a bit more about Donald's life at home. Mrs. Miller explains that Donald's father beats him because he suspects that he may be gay. For this reason, Mrs. Miller encourages Father Flynn's relationship with her son, as she believes he needs a caring man in his life. When Father Flynn eventually resigns from the church, Donald Miller is visibly upset.
Sister James
Sister James is a young nun and teacher at the parish school. At the beginning of the film, she has difficulty controlling her classroom, as the students understand her naivety and take advantage of her sweet personality. However, as she spends more time with Sister Aloysius, she transforms to be much more authoritative and terse. It is Sister James that first alerts Sister Aloysius of the potential relationship between Donald, who is one of her students, and Father Flynn.
As the story progresses, it is clear that Sister James is deeply affected by the allegations. At first, she believes Father Flynn's innocence because it is the "easier" option—she does not want to be afflicted by guilt. However, as the film progresses, she begins to speak against Sister Aloysius because she comes to truly believe that the priest is innocent. In the film's final scene, when Sister Aloysius confesses that she is not as certain as she has portrayed herself to be, Sister James reveals that she disapproves of Sister Aloysius' dishonesty and persistence.
Sister Aloysius Beauvier
Sister Aloysius is a nun and the stern principal of the parish school. Her behavior makes her feared by students and teachers alike. Sister Aloysius particularly picks on Sister James—a new, naive teacher at the school. Under Sister Aloysius's instruction, Sister James becomes more authoritative and strict with her students. Through her relationship with Sister James, Sister Aloysius demonstrates her power to influence others.
After listening to Father Flynn's sermon, Sister Aloysius is certain that the priest is involved in an inappropriate relationship with the school's first black student, Donald Miller. When Sister Aloysius calls a meeting with Mrs. Miller, Donald's mother, we learn more about her privilege and her inability to understand black motherhood. During her conversation with Mrs. Miller, we learn that Sister Aloysius was once married before she became a nun—this small detail provides us with a bit more information about Sister Aloysius and hints at her vulnerabilities. After she forces Father Flynn to resign by constructing a lie about his past, she confesses her sin to Sister James and thus admits her fears.
Mrs. Miller
Although Donald’s mother appears just once in the film, her scene is perhaps the most powerful. She tells Sister Aloysius that she is opposed to the possibility of Father Flynn's allegations being made public because she views the priest as a mentor and guardian for her son. She reveals that Donald is beat by his father because of his effeminate behavior. This detail raises the specter that he may be homosexual and, by extension, hints that Donald may have been chosen for abuse because Father Flynn recognized his femininity. Mrs. Miller strongly opposes Sister Aloysius and reshapes the nun's idea of what it means to be a "good mother." Sister Aloysius is not able to understand the pain associated with black motherhood and understands Mrs. Miller's defiance as neglect. However, Mrs. Miller insists that the allegations be hushed so that Donald has the opportunity to graduate from the parish school and thus create a positive future for himself.
