Moral Dilemmas In Father Flynn's Doubt, A Parable

Humans encounter moral dilemmas throughout their life. They exist in order to strengthen or weaken our relationships, our pride, and our understanding of the world. People find it much easier to learn from moral dilemmas when they are not actually the ones going through them. That is why so many people turn to books, films, and plays to give them answers and knowledge about the things that trouble us. These mediums create characters that are often polar opposites, establishing conflict that must be resolved. These dichotomous characters, help convey the different outcomes of various moral queries. Using these mediums for such purpose is not a new discovery. It is however, a skill that is not often mastered. The 2004 play Doubt, A Parable, the

The most striking of these monologues comes from Father Flynn. Over the course of the play, Father Flynn delivers two sermons, both of which strikingly mirror the events that have, or are about to unfold. For instance, in Flynn’s first sermon, at the very beginning of the play, he addresses the most explicit theme Shanley is working to convey; doubt. He says, “there are those of you in church today who know exactly the crisis of faith I describe. I want to say to you: Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as uncertainty. When you are lost, you are not alone. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen,” (Page 6). accomplished a few important things in this monologue. He establishes the plays inherent religious tone. He give the reader context for what will happened next by foreshadowing that doubt is in fact a prominent theme in the play. He also fosters trust between Father Flynn and the reader, who want to trust him because he seems earnest and resolved. This sentiment, however, is also cleverly deconstructed in the exact same sentence. After having read the play, the reader realizes that Father Flynn could be addressing himself. He is very familiar with the crisis of uncertainty, and so is Sister Aloysius; both of whom are in the room where the sermon occurs. Moreover, it is not explicitly stated in the play whether Father Flynn is speaking out to the

Over the course of the play, we see her struggle to take action against Father Flynn simply because of the hierarchy that exists within the Catholic Church. The mob, in this case is the plethora of men that exist above Sister Aloysius in the chain of command. By using this quote, Shanley admits the tiring nature of being a female in a world of males. By conveying Sister Aloysius as a powerful, strong-willed nun who can’t seem to take action —not because she is weak, but because she is female— Shanley outlines a major theme within the play; power structure as it relates to