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Who Is Father Flynn In Patrick Shanley's Doubt: A Parable

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Based on the evidence in Patrick Shanley’s play, Doubt: A Parable, I conclude Father Flynn is guilty because of his abrupt leaving and his demeanor. In the play, Father Flynn does not seem suspicious in the very beginning, but along the play, there are little bits of evidence that lead me to believe that Father Flynn is in fact guilty. Sister Aloysius accuses Father Flynn of child molesting the new black kid Donald Muller because some of Father Flynn’s actions are questioning. Sister James explains the evidence that leads Sister Aloysius to believe her own story: “No. It was his expression. He looked frightened and…I think there was alcohol on his breath. There was alcohol on his breath” (Shanley 22). Donald is an altar boy and loves it and …show more content…

This is because Donald is the first and only black kid in the school and he is even possibly gay. This already makes Donald an outcast at school and it would be hard for him to tell someone about Father Flynn. Even Donald’s home life is a struggle: “Well, maybe some… That’s why his father beat him up. Not the wine. He beat Donald for being what he is” (Shanley 44). Donald’s father beats him at home and his mother does not seem to worry that much about it. This can tie back to the fact that Donald feels like an outcast because even at home his dad does not accept him. Sister Aloysius knows that St. Nicholas is Father Flynn’s third parish and school and that is very strange. When Sister Aloysius says that she called Father Flynn’s previous parish, Father Flynn gets irritable. If the accusations were not true, there is no reason that Father Flynn should be so nervous. Then we come to find out that Sister Aloysius did not actually call the parish: “I was lying. I made no such call” (Shanley 58). This creates more suspicion around Father Flynn because if he were innocent, he would have no explanation for his leaving. Even though I believe Father Flynn is guilty, the case for Father Flynn’s innocence is also

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