Doubt, a Parable by John Patrick Shanley Essay Example

their school, Sister Aloysius asked probing questions and discovered that Father Flynn had taken him under his wing. Suspicious of Father Flynn's actions, Sister Aloysius confessed one day that she believed the convent and rectory did not always agree on how a priest should be treated.

In the garden, Sister Aloysius tells Sister James, "we might as well be separated by the Atlantic Ocean." (Shanley 1946) The garden separates the convent from the rectory, but it also symbolizes the distance between the Sisters and Fathers. Sister James is the one who noticed Donald's odd behavior, but she does not believe Father Flynn is guilty. After a contrived meeting about the Christmas play, Father Flynn and Sister James feel that Sister Aloysius has overstepped her boundaries and is too controlling.

Sister Aloysius questions Sister James about whether she believes the students in the school are treated as prisoners. Sister James responds by stating that all of them are uniformly afraid of Sister Aloysius. The fear extends not only to the children but also to the teachers. Sister Aloysius is quick to discipline anyone, including the children and Fathers, but she has a different approach with the other nuns. However, Sister Aloysius does feel empathy towards Sister Veronica, who is losing her vision, as revealing this to the rectory could result in her being fired.

Sister Aloysius has a biased stance towards nuns versus everyone else, as she is willing to forgive a blind nun but not accept a Father's statement that he is innocent. She judges Father Flynn's actions as circumstantial and highlights Sister Veronica's frequent accidents. Due to her

jaded attitude towards non-nuns, Sister Aloysius does not have a good relationship with Father Flynn and declares her intention to bring him down, which appears more like a personal vendetta than genuine concern as a principal.

Just like oil and water, Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius do not get along. During his sermon on gossip, Father Flynn directly aimed it at Sister Aloysius in an attempt to make her feel guilty for questioning him. When Father Flynn asked, "Is gossiping a sin?" (Shanley 1956), he was telling Sister Aloysius that it was. However, Sister Aloysius did not see herself as gossiping in the first place. Their relationship had already soured when Father Flynn wrote down the word "Intolerance" in his notebook during the Christmas pageant meeting (Shanley 1952). This word sums up not only Sister Aloysius but also the church itself. Sister Aloysius was strongly against the idea of playing secular music in church, while Father Flynn believed that it would help bring in the outside community. Sister Aloysius did not see the value in allowing some secular music to be played in church for the purpose of engaging with the community.

She believes in the separation of the church and its citizens, but they cannot agree. Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn have conflicting views. This play illustrates the struggles faced by a Catholic church in recent decades. The accusations made in the play were baseless and solely on suspicion. Sister Aloysius intruded into Father Flynn's affairs through bullying tactics. In reality, not all accusations are without merit; some have proven to be true. Doubt is a pervasive aspect of life, affecting

everyone within sight or hearing. Father Flynn's sermon offers solace with his peaceful words, "When you are lost, you are not alone." These words can benefit anyone. Sister Aloysius believed that in times of uncertainty, one should persistently investigate until they break the other person, which contradicts biblical principles.