Final answer:
Catholicism in "The Plague of Doves" provides a critical lens for characters' understanding of their world, similar to historical responses to the Bubonic plague. Religious frameworks shaped societal reactions to the plague, including scapegoating and collective resilience, which likely affects the narrator’s perspective and thematic elements in the story.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of Catholicism in "The Plague of Doves" is not merely a backdrop but a critical framework through which characters understand their reality. During the Bubonic plague, religious interpretations of the disease were prevalent, with the Catholic Church providing both solace and contributing to the scapegoating and persecution of minorities, like the Jewish community, due to the dogma of the time.
Similarly, the Islamic world's response, through treatises, depicted the plague as a divine test, encouraging a collective response grounded in faith. The intertwining of religious discourse and the lived experiences of individuals during the plague era, as depicted in various historical records, underlines the profound impact of faith and religious institutions on society's perceptions and reactions to catastrophic events.
In "The Plague of Doves," the religious elements potentially shape the narrator's perspective and what is deemed significant within the story, illustrating the personal and social ramifications of religious belief during crises. The season of Lent, a time of penance and reflection in Catholicism, and Mooshum’s brother being a priest, suggest a thematic concern with sin, guilt, and redemption, key Catholic teachings that would likely influence the characters' development and the narrative's direction.