Discussion for the Week of April 12

Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley

(Just as The Things They Carried was about how people react to the “heart under pressure” more than it was war, Doubt is not so much about the characters in the drama and their situation as it is about all people and the natural inclination we have to complacency--and reluctance to change.)


What is a parable?
Note that many cultures have used parables as a way to teach.

In the Preface, Shanley suggests that our society is now a “courtroom culture.” What does he mean by this?

What hazard exists “in a culture of extreme advocacy, of confrontation, of judgment, and of verdict,” according to Shanley?

According to the Preface, what benefit is produced by doubt? (Consider this interpretation and the uncertainty of Sister Aloysisus at the end of the drama.)

Explain what Shanley means when he declares that, “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.”
Compare and contrast Sisters Aloysisus and James in regard to their attitude toward students, teaching, and their role in the school and the classroom.

What are the two parables that Father Flynn tells?
What is the “lesson” in each? Is the lesson literal or does it suggest something else?

What strong indications are there that Sister Aloysisus is mired in the past, as a rigid disciplinarian?

How does the talk Sister James has with Sister Aloysisus early in the drama affect Sister James? Why? How does this change by the end of the play?