ipl-logo

Sister Aloysius's Doubt

737 Words3 Pages

Sometimes one might think they are doing the right thing despite everyone else telling them otherwise. This can easily be seen in Doubt, a play written by John Patrick Shanley. In this play, Sister Aloysius starts to suspect that Father Brendan Flynn is starting to become incredibly intimate with one of the students at the school though she has no evidence say that it is true or not. Based on what little evidence she had and her overall attitude towards his smaller habits, I believe that he is innocent and that Sister Aloysius is making a false claim.
First, it is show in the beginning of the paly that Sister Aloysius has a problem with all kinds of small issues. For one, she doesn’t like ballpoint pens. “I’m sorry I allowed even cartridge …show more content…

The biggest thing they will say is that no one really saw Father Flynn with Donald thus concluding they were along together. Sister Aloysius: “You help a private meeting with him at the rectory.” (Shanley 31) Since no one else saw them, there is no other witness to say what happened between the two of them. Though it can also be argued that since no one saw them, there is nothing to say that Father Flynn committed such an act with a child. The other big claim that could be made towards his guilt is that he left the school when Sister Aloysius stated that she called his old place of work. This could be stating that he ran because he was guilty, but if he was then chances are the bishop would have believed her and he wouldn’t have gotten a promotion. Sister Aloysius even stated at the end of it all that she had doubts. Sister Aloysius: “I have doubts! I have such doubts!” (Shanley 58) She is not sure if her own claims were the truth or not which leaves us to wonder if Father Flynn was innocent or guilty.
I believe that Father Flynn was falsely accused and never actually committed those kinds of acts with Donald Muller. With the lack of evidence and the small habits that can cause Sister Aloysius to dislike someone it is hard to believe that she actually had any reason to accuse him other than personal dislike towards Father Flynn. With no evidence nothing can be proved. As the

Show More
Related
739 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella feels guilty after lying under oath in court. Mayella lied about Tom Robinson raping her because she doesn't want her dad to beat her up if she tells the truth. PARTIES Members of the jury, the state will review the evidence against Mayella Ewell who let her greed influence her decision to lie under oath. While her father Bob Ewell forced her to lie about the case so he wouldn't be

Read More
561 Words | 3 Pages

(Shanley 32). After all the arguing, Father Flynn threatens Sister Aloysius and Sister James starts to believe Flynn. A common argument against this position is that Father Flynn was really trying to help Donald be successful in school. Father Flynn may have been helping the only Negro in the school. Flynn says, “That back boy needs a helping hand or he’s not going to make it here!”

Read More
851 Words | 4 Pages

For example, while it is obvious that Sister James is comprehensive, optimistic and delicate, because she wants the approval from her superiors and students; Sister Aloysius, on the other hand, presents herself as determined, strict and a calculating person, due to the fact that she presents extreme care about details and thinks they are very important for knowing the truth. Maybe age plays an important role on defining how both of them behave. Sister Aloysius is an older woman, which makes her more experienced than Sister James; perhaps, this is why it was easier for Sister Aloysius to find Father’s Flynn sermon quite suspicious and instructs her fellow nuns to address her if they know of anything shady about the priest actions or behavior, while Sister James didn’t though that there was something behind the sermon about

Read More
745 Words | 3 Pages

When Beddor says “Alyss’ imagination could be used for “good and ill,” he is leaving the reader feeling unsure if Alyss will use her imagination to its full potential. The queen is foreshadowing Alyss’ imagination to Redds. Alyss’ demanding self leads her to trouble and sadness: “I am princess Alyss Heart. The queen is my mother and-” Your-? Well, well.”

Read More
992 Words | 4 Pages

In April 26, 1913 a young girl named Mary Phagan was found sexually molested and murdered in the basement at the pencil factory in Atlanta Georgia ,where she worked. Evidence was found near the girl which at first led the crime to be pinned on Newt lee, the night watchman at the factory, but the police quickly came to notice that it was a bad attempt by Jim Conley to cover up his own involvement. Jim Conley was the factories janitor, a black man and a will known drunk. Jim Conley then tried to pin the blame on Leo frank ,the Jewish owner of the factory. Without much evidence and the absurdity of Conley’s claims the police took hold to Conley’s statement.

Read More
406 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout this piece of literature, “The Midwife’s Apprentice”, Alyce (or Beetle) went from having no self esteem to having self esteem back to no self esteem. Beetle self esteem raised in chapter 5, “The Merchant”, when a merchant gave her a comb and a compliment. The compliment was “Comb those long curls till they shine, girl, and sure you'll have a lover before nightfall.” This compliment was the first one Beetle ever had received and it made her feel better about herself. She was also called a person she was not, Alyce.

Read More
1964 Words | 8 Pages

Moreover, when everyone decided that the boy is guilty, he suggested that they should talk about it first. Furthermore, he said that he didn 't

Read More
1169 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout John Patrick Shanley’s play Doubt, Sister Aloysius tries to expose the truth about how Father Flynn could be having an inappropriate relationship with Donald Muller. Sister Aloysius becomes aware of this possibly inappropriate relationship after Sister James tells Sister Aloysius that Father Flynn had a private meeting with Donald. Then, Sister Aloysius talks to many people to see if her speculations are true, and by doing that, she hopes that the truth will cause Father Flynn to leave St. Nicholas. After reading the play Doubt, I believe that Father Flynn is having an inappropriate relationship with Donald Muller because of Father Flynn’s behaviors and Sister Aloysius’ conversations with many

Read More
333 Words | 2 Pages

One piece of evidence that proves the boy’s innocence is accuracy of the Old man’s testimony. In the play the jurors are arguing over whether or not the man heard the phrase “I’m going to kill you”. According to evidence, the noise of the train passing would be much too loud to hear anything,

Read More
598 Words | 3 Pages

Secondly, Judge Danforth’s irrationality and ignorance brings about poor decisions on his part. One of the instances where Danforth reveals his following attitude is when he denies to even look at a deposition presented by John Proctor as described by his words “ No, no, I accept no depositions” (Miller 88). John Proctor hands him a deposition signed by Mary warren, stating that the accusations made by Abigail and the girls are false. In this regard Judge Danforth replies to John Proctor by repetitively says “No” thereby emphasizing his adamant view on this subject.

Read More
1766 Words | 8 Pages

Reflecting back to his situation with Sister Aloysius, Father Flynn knows that the damage has already been done and ignoring it would no longer be an option he had to prove his innocence, but Sister Aloysius doubt is so strong he is uncertain that he would be able to change her mind on what she thinks of him. When someone’s doubt is as clear to them as certainty they act without rationalizing the situation. This scene occurs after Sister Aloysius had accused Father Flynn of conducting inappropriate things with Donald Muller. In his sermon, Father Flynn says, “You ignorant, badly brought- up female! You have borne false witness against your neighbor, you have played fast and loose with his reputation you should be heartily ashamed” (Shanley 35).

Read More
1181 Words | 5 Pages

Also, the main theme that is underlined by the playwright of Doubt: A Parable is the abuse of the power. Shanley suggested an up-to-date topic, considering several scandals about the Catholic Church’s priests who had had sexual relations with young parishioners. This play with no proofs and it ends with an open-ended. Although in the play Sister Aloysius and Sister James try to judge whether the priest –

Read More
1094 Words | 5 Pages

Although it may look like he is guilty because he doesn’t want Sister talking to his other parishes, he could just be trying to save his name. You only have one name and your reputation can make or break someone. If it gets out that Flynn might be abusing boys he could be stuck with that title for the rest of his life. This could be the reason why he is being so defensive and wants the Sisters to just drop everything. He might also want to save Sister Aloysius’s reputation.

Read More
721 Words | 3 Pages

’”(pg 187). This evidence shows that Mayella had nothing to say because she knew that she was caught lying and he showed the jury that they were lying. Therefore the Ewell family is not telling the truth in every response and is more likely Tom is not

Read More
835 Words | 4 Pages

By the end of the film, she is the person who Aloysius confesses her doubt to. As the film is set in the 1960s, religion was in the middle of determining if it should stay the same or reform. This conflict reflects the contrast between Flynn and Aloysius, for Flynn wants to move the parish ahead while Aloysius wants everything to stay the

Read More

More about Sister Aloysius's Doubt

Related Topics

Open Document