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John Patrick Stanley Doubt Play Summary

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The play Doubt by John Patrick Shanley is impressively structured play about the very title. It pins two monumental characters against one another over accusations of possible child molestation of an altar boy by a high ranking church official. Sister Aloysius is the principle that accuses Father Flynn of these actions and is relentless in her accusations of Father Flynn even without any hard evidence, but she has no doubt that he is guilty. Doubt is the title of the play and it shows you why it is titled this throughout the play. John Patrick Stanley did not only make a play about doubt, but leaves his readers in doubt themselves after the rollercoaster that is the play is titled after. The play begins with Father Flynn giving a sermon on Doubt to his church. He is giving this sermon to try and give his crowd hope and to let everyone know that it is not only them who experiences doubt. This about one of the only parts of the story where you do not feel doubt about anyone or anything but it portrays Father Flynn as a good man trying to help his church goers. The beginning feeling of doubt comes in after Sister James tells Sister Aloysius about her class and discovers that Donald Muller, the first african american to attend …show more content…

After Father Flynn leaves and it seems that victory has been achieved for Sister Aloysius she overcame with doubt herself which brings it back to opening scene of the sermon that Father Flynn gives about doubt. Even the most hardened and sure people experience doubt about something and Sister Aloysius is left in doubt after all that has happened. Also since Father Flynn left after the false call it leaves his possible wrongdoings still in the air and along with Sister Aloysius’ doubts it leaves the readers and audience in doubt with the ending. This a clever action by John Patrick Stanley as not only does he name his play Doubt but leaves up for speculation for the

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