Ballpoint Pens Symbol Analysis

Because Sister Aloysius frowns upon the use of ballpoint pens over fountain pens, the writing instruments themselves come to embody her belief that changing certain traditional practices is ill-advised and “complacent.” Ballpoint pens are significantly easier to write with than fountain pens, which is why Aloysius sees them as utensils for lazy people. “Always the easy way out these days,” she says when she explains to Sister James that all students should be using fountain pens to learn cursive. “What does that teach? Every easy choice today will have its consequences tomorrow.” As she insists that ballpoint pens cause children to press down too hard and consequently rip the paper, the pens themselves come to represent her unwillingness to embrace change or progress, which she thinks will have negative “consequences” in the future.