Doubt John Shanley Doubt Analysis

For thousands of years people have struggled with doubt, whether doubting themselves and their abilities or doubting the intentions of others, even people who seem to have their lives together struggle with if things are true or not. In John Patrick Shanley’s play “Doubt” a pair of nuns have to decide if they should doubt their male counterpart, a man of God or turn a blind eye and continue on with life as normal. Doubt is included in every part of life, but one must decide if they accept the doubt or seek out the truth. Doubt manifests itself in life in many forms. But in this play it is lurking behind closed doors and wafting through the corridors. It is there, but one would rather turn a blind eye than confront it. Sister Aloysius has to decide if she and Sister James let it go or seek it out to find the truth or to let it go. She knows that because the school year is coming to a close that they “simply have to get him through, out the door, and then he’s somebody else’s project.” (8) But the moral struggle between right and wrong haunts her, knowing that if she lets it go she will look back and know that she could have done more. Sister Aloysius does not know what Father Flynn is doing but she doubts that it is a good thing. For her “It is an uneasy

When you do not believe you will not take a moment to ponder whether it is true or not, Doubt at least you feel as if it can go either way. “Doubt requires more courage than conviction does, and more energy; because conviction is a resting place and doubt is infinite-it is a passionate exercise.” (ix) Sister Aloysius does all in her power to get Father Flynn moved out of that parish and into a new one. But the unexpected happens and Father Flynn in his new parish receives a new job, an even better job than the one before. Sister Aloysius no longer has to deal with him, but now a new parish will get to experience the ways of Father