Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Doubt: A Parable, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Moral Responsibility
Power and Accountability
Doubt and Uncertainty
Tradition vs. Change
Summary
Analysis
Sister James finds Sister Aloysius in the garden, where the older woman is bent over a rosebush. She tells Aloysius that the girls in her class are in music class and that the boys are in the rectory with Father Flynn, who’s “giving them a talk” about “how to be a man.” This intrigues Aloysius, who asks if Sister James has ever given the girls a talk about how to be a woman. “No. I wouldn’t be competent,” James replies, explaining that she took her vows at a very young age. When Aloysius points out that the founder of their order took her vows after living the life of a married woman with five children, James wonders aloud “how she managed so much in one life.” Hearing this, Aloysius reveals that she herself was married before becoming a nun. Her husband, apparently, died in World War II.
The fact that Sister Aloysius used to have a husband indicates that she has a more complex history than one might expect. Despite her convictions about doing things in a traditional manner, she hasn’t always lived the life of a nun. This, in turn, suggests that she knows what it’s like to live a secular life—an idea that is hard to imagine now that she so fully embodies the ideals of the Catholic Church. Indeed, it is perhaps because she came to Catholicism relatively late in her life that she’s so eager to devote herself to the religion’s customs and so unwilling to adopt new ways of doing things.
Themes
Changing the subject, Sister Aloysius says that she used to spend quite a lot of time in the garden. Now, though, Monsignor Benedict walks through the garden at unpredictable times, and since nuns are “discouraged from crossing paths with priests unattended,” she has stopped coming so often, for fear that she might run into him. “The monsignor is very good, isn’t he?” Sister James asks, and though Aloysius agrees with her, she also points out that Monsignor Benedict is “oblivious.” “I don’t believe he knows who’s President of the United States.”
As the play progresses, it’s important to remember that Monsignor is “oblivious,” since he is the person with the most power at St. Nicholas Church and School. This is significant because his cluelessness effectively means that people like Sister Aloysius are left to fend for themselves if they ever need help.
Themes
Moving on, Sister Aloysius asks Sister James how Donald Muller is doing, wondering if anyone has hit him yet. When James says that nobody has, she states that somebody will eventually. “I’m not so sure anyone will,” James says, but Aloysius disagrees with her, pointing out that Donald Muller is the school’s first black student and that a number of the parents who send their children to St. Nicholas School aren’t especially open to the idea of racial integration. Still, James insists that nobody will bother Donald because Father Flynn has become his “protector.” Upon hearing this, Sister Aloysius goes “rigid” and suddenly stands up. “He’s taken an interest,” Sister James explains. “Since Donald went on the altar boys. I thought I should tell you.” In response, Aloysius says, “I told you to come to me, but I hoped you never would.”
Sister Aloysius’s concerns about Donald Muller getting picked on because of his race demonstrate the school’s struggle to embrace change. Although she herself generally opposes change, she is apparently open to the idea of racial integration, but she worries that other people are not. When Sister James says that Father Flynn has “taken an interest” in Donald, though, Aloysius’s concerns shift, as she clearly suspects that Flynn is sexually abusing Donald. This is made evident when she says, “I told you to come to me, but I hoped you never would.” Suddenly, then, the audience sees that her suspicions about St. Nicholas School have—at least in her mind—been confirmed.
Themes
Sister James wonders if she shouldn’t have told Sister Aloysius about Father Flynn’s “special interest” in Donald Muller, but Aloysius doesn’t listen. “I knew once you did [come to me], something would be set in motion,” she says. “So it’s happened.” Sister James is shocked when she hears this. “What?!” she replies. “I’m not telling you that! I’m not even certain what you mean.” Despite this sentiment, Aloysius insists that James knows exactly what she means—an idea that upsets Sister James, who admits that she has been “trying to become more cold” in her thinking. This, however, has been quite unpleasant for her. “I want to be guided by you and responsible to the children,” she says, “but I want my peace of mind.”
It's worth explicitly acknowledging that, although neither of them have fully articulated it, Sister Aloysius and Sister James are discussing whether or not Father Flynn has sexually abused Donald Muller. “So it’s happened,” Sister Aloysius concludes, as if she already suspected this and now feels as if her worries have been confirmed. Sister James, on the other hand, is eager to convince herself that she’s making a big deal out of nothing, which is why she pretends to not even know what Sister Aloysius is talking about. At the same time, she admits that she has been trying to be objective and “cold,” and that this has deeply unsettled her. This, in turn, suggests that she knows exactly what Sister Aloysius is talking about, since she’s obviously troubled by the possibility that Father Flynn has abused Donald.
Themes
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Going on, Sister James says that she yearns for “the return of [her] peace of mind,” but Sister Aloysius informs her that she “may not have it.” “It is not your place to be complacent,” she says. “That’s for the children. That’s what we give them.” James admits that she understands this, but she still feels like she’s “less close to God” now that she has adopted a sense of constant suspicion. “When you take a step to address wrongdoing, you are taking a step away from God, but in His service,” Sister Aloysius replies, insisting that “dealing with such matters is hard and thankless work.”
During this conversation, Sister Aloysius forces Sister James to see herself as an unfailing guardian of her students’ wellbeing. This, she claims, leaves no room for “complacen[cy]” or mental laziness. As a result, it’s necessary for the nuns to take on the “thankless” task of vigilantly looking out for the children, even if this means losing their “peace of mind.”
Themes
Sister James insists that she’s not “certain” that anything inappropriate is happening between Father Flynn and Donald Muller. However, Sister Aloysius says that they can’t “wait” until they know for sure that something has happened. As she thinks about how exactly to handle the situation, she notes that “there are parameters” that protect Father Flynn. She then asks Sister James what she has seen, and James says that Father Flynn took Donald Muller to the rectory by himself. “Of all the children. Donald Muller. I suppose it makes sense,” Aloysius says, pointing out that the boy is already “isolated.” Still, James insists that perhaps nothing has happened. “Then why do you look like you’ve seen the Devil?” Aloysius asks, and James admits that she was troubled by the way Donald acted upon returning to class after spending time alone with Father Flynn in the rectory.
Sister Aloysius is hyperaware of the fact that Donald Muller is the school’s first and only black student. This awareness isn’t just the result of her general sensitivity to change, it’s also due to her understanding that Father Flynn has taken advantage of the boy’s vulnerability. As the only black student, he is “isolated” from others which makes him both in need of a “protector” or guide and also vulnerable to abuse. While Father Flynn seems to have sought to mentor Donald, it also seems has has done this in an inappropriate way, using his position of authority to establish an unhealthy relationship with a boy who has seemingly nobody else to turn to.
Themes
Sister James reveals that Donald had alcohol on his breath after spending time with Father Flynn in the rectory. Deep in thought, Sister Aloysius considers what to do, noting that she once dealt with a similar situation at a different Catholic school. Back then, though, she worked with a monsignor who was willing to stand behind her and help pursue the matter. “Here, there’s no man I can go to, and men run everything,” she says. “We are going to have to stop [Flynn] ourselves.” At this point, Sister James suggests that Sister Aloysius should simply “report” her “suspicions” to Monsignor Benedict, but Aloysius disregards this idea, saying that Monsignor Benedict would just ask Father Flynn and then believe whatever the priest says. “If I tell the monsignor and he is satisfied with Father Flynn’s rebuttal, the matter is suppressed,” she says.
Sister Aloysius can’t bring her concerns to Monsignor Benedict because he is more likely to listen to Father Flynn than to her. In this moment, then, the audience sees the Church’s flawed chain of command, where the voice of a well-respected nun is undervalued when set against the word of a priest. Simply put, because Monsignor Benedict would most likely take Father Flynn’s side, there’s no good way to hold Flynn accountable for his actions.
Themes
“Well then tell the bishop,” Sister James suggests when she grasps that Sister Aloysius can’t tell Monsignor Benedict about her suspicions. However, Aloysius reminds her that the Catholic Church has a certain “hierarchy” that “does not permit” her to do this. “Once I tell the monsignor, it’s out of my hands, I’m helpless,” she says. Because of this, she decides to come up with a reason to get Father Flynn to visit her office. She tells Sister James that she will have to be there, too, since nuns aren’t allowed to be alone with priests. “I can’t do it!” says Sister James. “Would you rather leave the boy to be exploited?” Sister Aloysius asks. “And don’t think this will be the only story. If you close your eyes, you will be a party to all that comes after.”
Again, it becomes clear that the “hierarchy” in the Catholic Church makes it difficult for Sister Aloysius to make sure Father Flynn is held accountable for his actions. Unable to go directly to the bishop, she’s forced to handle the matter on her own—a difficult burden that will likely bring trouble her way. Nevertheless, she’s willing to pursue the matter because she sees it as her moral duty to protect the children of St. Nicholas School. She tries to impress this upon Sister James by pointing out that ignoring this situation would mean enabling Father Flynn to continue to do whatever he wants, thereby giving him the chance to continue abusing children.
Themes
After a long conversation, Sister Aloysius finally convinces Sister James to help her confront Father Flynn. “If I could, Sister James, I would certainly choose to live in innocence,” she adds before they part ways. “But innocence can only be wisdom in a world without evil. Situations arise and we are confronted with wrongdoing and the need to act.”
When Sister Aloysius says that she would prefer to “live in innocence” if she could, she acknowledges Sister James’s desire to regain the “peace of mind” she had before living in a state of constant suspicion. However, she also notes that it’s impossible to live in “innocence” when there are so many “evil[s]” in the surrounding world. Unable to ignore these evils, she devotes herself to addressing them head-on, seeing it as her ethical responsibility to pay attention to such matters.
Themes
