Written Assignment for DOUBT - due April 21

Choose ANY 2 of the following questions and answer each in ONE page; use a clear, definite topic sentence and support from the drama:

1. "Doubt" begins with a parable. In the course of a sermon (also called a homily), Father Flynn tells the story of a man who is lost at sea and clinging to the hope that he has set the correct course for home. What happens to the man? Father Flynn doesn’t say, and thus, the play begins on a note of doubt. In what way does the play END on a note of doubt as well?

2. In the “Preface,” Shanley criticizes the fact that “we are living in a culture of extreme advocacy, of confrontation, of judgment, and of verdict.” In what sense might the play itself be considered an attempt to remedy this cultural trend. Provide examples to support your stance.

3. The play’s preface ends with the statement that “The beginning of change is the moment of Doubt. It is the crucial moment when I renew my humanity or become a lie. Doubt requires more courage than conviction does.” Why would Shanley celebrate uncertainty? What does uncertainty give us that certainty cannot?

4. Why does Sister Aloysius favor fountain pens that must be dipped in ink rather than ballpoint pens? How are these two modes of writing symbolic? Why is penmanship important? What does it suggest?