Catherine goes into the sister's office, which appears also to be a library, and finds cigarettes on a table. She's a nicotine addict who hasn't had a cigarette during the time that she's been there. But once she lights up, the sister tells her that smoking is not allowed at St. Mary's. So why were there cigarettes on the table in the first place? Was it a test? A trap? Part of the torture?
shareOnce the sister leaves the room, Catherine asks the doctor if she can have one of his cigarettes and takes one from the same pack, so it's safe to assume that they were his.
That's why you and I don't see eye-to-eye sometimes, Jack; because you're a man of science.
I did not get the impression that the cigarettes belonged to the doctor. The OP is correct, it made no sense for the cigarette pack to be in the library. It was just a not well thought out plot device.
shareI was confused by that too, because it made no sense for the cigarettes to be there (nuns don't smoke!!!), and then she confesses to smoking as soon as she lights up - none of that made sense!
"Are you going to your grave with unlived lives in your veins?" ~ The Good Girl
Aw well, around the year the movie was set even Mormons would do some puffin here and there. BTW, nicotine was the stuff movies were made from for most of the years of cinema history.
(Likewise, I'm pretty sure you know that for quite a while Coca-Cola was made with some amount of coca leaves which was supposed to give the jolt you paid for. Things have been changing a lot, some for the good, some not so much so)
nothing brainy to say in here