Doubt: A Parable Themes

In Doubt, a play about a catholic nun who suspects a priest of sexually abusing an altar boy, John Patrick Shanley suggests that people conceive of their moral responsibilities in different ways. Sister Aloysius, for one, sees it as her duty to find out whether or not Father Flynn has had inappropriate relations with the Catholic school’s only black student, Donald Muller. Although she lacks concrete evidence, she refuses to dismiss the…

The characters in John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt exist in a strict and hierarchal chain of command. This, Shanley implies, makes it difficult for moral people like Sister Aloysius to question authority, even when it’s glaringly obvious that her superiors are protecting each other from being held accountable for their actions. More specifically, Shanley suggests that the structures of power in the Catholic Church enable people like Father Flynn to take advantage of their status without…

In Doubt, John Patrick Shanley surveys the Catholic Church’s commitment to tradition, showcasing the institution’s internal struggles regarding change. Sister Aloysius, for her part, is committed to preserving an older, more traditional style of running a Catholic school, believing that teachers ought to be strict, fearsome, and authoritative. Sister James, on the other hand, wants her students to be comfortable when they’re in her class. Similarly, she likes the idea of breaking…