In the short story, "In the Region of Ice," is Sister Irene a flat or a static character?

I would say that Sister Irene is a complex character. The
journey that Oates constructs for her is not one replete with redemptive epiphanies or profound
changes in her state of being. In this light, she might be seen as flat. However, as with much
from Oates, it is really difficult to capitulate to simplistic notions. Oates shows Sister Irene
to be one that is scared and impacted by the emotional displays that Allen shows. Sister Irene
experiences changes in her emotional understanding in seeking to figure out her own place in the
feelings she experiences with Allen. She also undergoes a great deal of depth when she feels the
need to speak with Allen's parents after reading the veiled threat to suicide. The exploration of
her own spirituality is a part of this. When she turns Allen away at the end, there is a definite
moment in Sister Irene when some emotional border has been crossed, representative of depth of
character. While the ending of the short story displays Sister Irene's world of ice being
confirmed, it would be a mistake to see this as an ending where Sister Irene is a character that
is not rich or one that has failed to undergo much in the way of change or
development.