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
Mrs. Muller visits Sister Aloysius’s office. She is hesitant and clearly afraid that Donald has gotten into trouble. She admits that he made a mistake by drinking altar wine, but adds that he “knows what an opportunity he has” at St. Nicholas School. “I think the whole thing was just a bit much for him,” she explains, suggesting that being the school’s first black student has put him under a lot of pressure. She also adds that his father “beat the hell out of him over that wine,” and when Aloysius says that he shouldn’t have done that, Mrs. Muller defends her husband, saying that he didn’t want Donald to come to St. Nicholas in the first place. “Thought he’d have a lot of trouble with the other boys,” she says. This, however, hasn’t been the case, she says, since Father Flynn has been “watching out” for Donald.
Right away, it becomes clear in Mrs. Muller’s conversation with Sister Aloysius that she sees Father Flynn as a positive force in her son’s life. This, it seems, will make it even harder for Sister Aloysius to inform her that Flynn might be sexually abusing Donald, especially because Mrs. Muller believes that Father Flynn is the only reason that Donald has been able to successfully integrate into an all-white school.
Themes
Mrs. Muller says that Donald talks about Father Flynn at home, saying that the “looks up to him.” “Mrs. Muller,” Sister Aloysius cuts in, “we may have a problem.” Immediately, Mrs. Muller says that whatever is wrong, Donald only has to make it at St. Nicholas School until June, when he’ll leave for high school. This, she says, is all she cares about. “I’m concerned about the relationship between Father Flynn and your son,” Aloysius says. To clarify, she says that Father Flynn “may have made advances” on Donald. “May have made,” Mrs. Muller says. “No evidence?” When Aloysius says that there hasn’t been any hard evidence of abuse, Mrs. Muller suggests that there must be “nothing to it.” Still, Aloysius outlines the situation concerning the altar wine. “I think I understand the kind of thing you’re talking about. But I don’t want to get into it,” Mrs. Muller says.
Mrs. Muller is unwilling to entertain the possibility that her son is suffering abuse at the hands of Father Flynn. This is because she sees Father Flynn as a positive figure in Donald’s life—an idea that is no doubt fueled by the fact that Donald’s very own father is violent toward him. Furthermore, she believes that Donald’s time at St. Nicholas School will help him continue on an upward trajectory. Accordingly, she would rather have him finish the eighth grade under seemingly any circumstances, just so he can go on to a good high school and secure a better future for himself. Needless to say, though, this outlook doesn’t align with Sister Aloysius’s sense that it is her moral responsibility to protect Donald from all forms of harm, immediate or otherwise.
Themes
Mrs. Muller points out that whatever is happening between Father Flynn and Donald isn’t Donald’s fault. Sister Aloysius agrees with this, believing that Father Flynn should get in trouble, not Donald. However, Mrs. Muller points out that she’s the one in the principal’s office talking about Donald. “Why isn’t the priest in the principal’s office,” she asks. Sister Aloysius has a hard time addressing this line of inquiry, and Mrs. Muller continues to suggest that Donald is going to be the one who suffers if news gets out about what Flynn has done to him. “You’re not going against no man in a robe and win, Sister,” she says. “[Flynn]’s got the position.” In response, Aloysius says, “And he’s got your son,” to which Mrs. Muller says, “Let him have ’im then.” When Aloysius expresses her disbelief at this sentiment, Mrs. Muller says, “It’s just till June.”
Mrs. Muller demonstrates her understanding of the unfortunate fact that Sister Aloysius is at an extreme disadvantage when it comes to challenging Father Flynn in the male-dominated world of the Catholic Church. She suggests that Sister Aloysius is doomed to fail and that, because of this, she should leave the matter alone, since it might harm Donald (this, at least, is what Mrs. Muller thinks). As a result, Mrs. Muller thinks Donald should simply endure whatever is happening to him until he can leave St. Nicholas School in June. Once again, then, she expresses an opinion that goes against Sister Aloysius’s sense that she has an ethical duty to protect her students regardless of the circumstances.
Themes
Mrs. Muller tells Sister Aloysius that Donald doesn’t need “additional difficulties.” “Let him take the good and leave the rest when he leaves this place in June. He knows how to do that,” she says. She also explains that Donald came to St. Nicholas School because the kids at public school were going to “kill him.” “His father don’t like him,” she says. “He comes here, the kids don’t like him. One man is good to him. The priest. Puts out a hand to the boy. Does the man have his reasons? Yes. Everybody has their reasons. You have your reasons. But do I ask the man why he’s good to my son? No.” Going on, she says certain things aren’t “black and white.” In addition, she hints at the fact that Donald might be gay, but Aloysius dismisses this idea, saying that she’s focusing only on “actions,” not “inclination[s].”
In this moment, Mrs. Muller clarifies why she doesn’t want to pursue the possibility that Father Flynn is abusing her son. She explains that she is worried first and foremost about his future, which is why she doesn’t want to question why, exactly, Father Flynn treats Donald with kindness. This, she believes, is irrelevant. However, what she fails to recognize is that undergoing sexual abuse would likely impact Donald’s future, since he would most likely have to deal with the emotional fallout of an inappropriate relationship with an adult. If Sister Aloysius's suspicions are correct—which remains uncertain—Father Flynn's abuse would almost certainly be harmful to Donald's mental health in the long run, even if he currently takes comfort in Flynn’s interest.
Themes
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Appalled by Mrs. Muller’s reaction to Donald’s alleged abuse, Aloysius threatens to throw the boy out of school just to protect him. “It won’t end with your son,” she says. “There will be others, if there aren’t already.” In response, Mrs. Muller tells her to throw out Father Flynn instead, and Aloysius says that this is exactly what she’s trying to do. Standing, Mrs. Muller tells Aloysius to leave Donald and her out of this entire ordeal. “You may think you’re doing good, but the world’s a hard place. I don’t know that you and me are on the same side. I’ll be standing with my son and those who are good with my son. It’d be nice to see you there,” she says before leaving.
Sister Aloysius’s statement that she’ll kick Donald out of school in order to protect him from Father Flynn illustrates just how intensely she believes it’s up to her to keep the children in her school safe. Trying to impress this upon Mrs. Muller, she points out that Father Flynn will continue to molest young boys if he isn’t stopped—an idea intended to weigh on Mrs. Muller’s conscience and ultimately convince her to stand up to the priest. It is, of course, unclear if this is really true—neither the characters nor the audience know if Flynn is guilty—but it nevertheless encourages both the audience and Mrs. Muller to view this situation with skepticism. However, Mrs. Muller refuses to acknowledge that Father Flynn’s alleged inappropriate behavior toward her son will impact him in the long run, instead focusing only on the boy’s immediate future.
Themes
Just as Mrs. Muller leaves Sister Aloysius’s office, Father Flynn comes barreling forward and asks if he can enter. “We would require a third party,” Aloysius says, but Flynn ignores her, asking why Mrs. Muller was at St. Nicholas School. He then closes the door and tells her that it’s time they have a private conversation, without a “third party.” “You have to stop this campaign against me!” he says, and she calmly informs him that he can stop it himself whenever he likes. “How?” he asks. “Confess and resign,” she responds. In a rage, he accuses her of ruining his reputation and keeping the parish from becoming a “welcoming church” where students can experience a “progressive education.”
Once again, Shanley emphasizes the differences between Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius. When Father Flynn barges in and refuses to wait for a “third party” to accompany him, the audience sees just how little he cares about preserving the Catholic Church’s traditional rules and regulations—customs to which Sister Aloysius has devoted her entire life. In this way, their confrontation begins with a display of just how much their ideals clash with one another, as Father Flynn tries to lord his power over Sister Aloysius while she tries and fails to use the power of the Catholic Church to keep him at bay.
Themes
Father Flynn suggests that Sister Aloysius has been suspicious of him long before this incident, and she admits that this is true, saying that she saw him touch William London’s wrist on the first day of school. As she says this, he furiously writes in his notebook, recording what she says so that he can explain to Monsignor Benedict why she should be “removed.” This doesn’t bother Sister Aloysius, who calmly tells him that she called his previous parish that morning and spoke to a nun there. “That’s not the proper route for you to have taken, Sister!” Flynn yells. “The Church is very clear. You’re supposed to go through the pastor.” In response, Aloysius suggests that Flynn probably has an “understanding” with his former pastor.
Once more, Father Flynn references the Catholic Church’s chain of command, trying to devalue Sister Aloysius’s ability to hold him accountable for his actions. This time, however, he seems more desperate than intimidating, since what she claims to have done is out of his hands. On another note, it’s worth pointing out that Sister Aloysius has been suspicious of Father Flynn since the first day of school, which is most likely why she told Sister James to be on the lookout in the first place. Rather than blindly believing in the morality of the parish’s priest, she took it upon herself to keep a watchful eye on him, effectively ignoring his parable about the sailor—which advocated for unquestioned faith—in order to responsibly address her concerns.
Themes
Sister Aloysius says that Father Flynn has a “history” as an abuser, pointing out that St. Nicholas is his third parish in only five years. “I am a good priest!” he insists. “And there is nothing in my record to suggest otherwise.” Ignoring this, Aloysius hypothesizes that he will continue to go after children until he is “stopped.” Trying to ignore her, Flynn says that Aloysius doesn’t have any actual “proof” against him. “But I have my certainty, and armed with that, I will go to your last parish, and the one before that if necessary,” she says. “I will find a parent, Father Flynn! Trust me I will. A parent who probably doesn’t know that you are still working with children! And once I do that, you will be exposed.”
Father Flynn says that there’s “nothing in [his] record” to suggest that he has a history as a sexual abuser. This casts doubt on Sister Aloysius's accusations, but it's also poor indication of whether or not he has molested children, since it’s clear that he surrounds himself with people who will vouch for him regardless of what he’s done. This, it seems, is exactly what Monsignor Benedict would do if Sister Aloysius brought her concerns to him. So, although Flynn's guilt is still uncertain, it's nonetheless clear that if he is guilty, he won't be punished for his actions. Once again, then, Shanley suggests that the power structure of the Catholic Church enables people who abuse their authority to avoid accountability for their misdeeds.
Themes
Once again, Father Flynn insists that Sister Aloysius has “no right to act on [her] own.” “You are a member of a religious order,” he says. “You have taken vows, obedience being one! You answer to us! You have no right to step outside the Church!” Nevertheless, Aloysius assures him that she will “step outside the Church” if that’s what the situation requires, even if this means the end of her affiliation with the Church. “Now, did you give Donald Muller wine to drink?” she asks, to which he says, “Have you ever done anything wrong?” She affirms that she has, and when he asks if she has committed “mortal sin[s],” she says, “Yes.” He then asks her what happened after she made this sort of mistake, and she says, “I confessed it! Did you give Donald Muller wine to drink?”
Again, the audience sees Sister Aloysius’s unyielding determination to find out the truth. In this moment, she admits that she has made mistakes herself, but she stresses the fact that she has always “confessed” her sins. By saying this, she urges Father Flynn to come clean, even as he tries to appeal to her humanity. Because she’s so devoted to protecting children like Donald Muller, though, she isn’t susceptible to his manipulative tactics.
Themes
Father Flynn continues to deny that he abused Donald. “Very well then,” Sister Aloysius says. “If you won’t leave my office, I will. And once I go, I will not stop.” As she goes to leave, he tells her to wait. Turning, she says, “You will request a transfer from this parish. You will take a leave of absence until it is granted.” Pleading his case once more, he asks her to consider his humanity, saying, “Am I a person flesh and blood like you? Or are we just ideas and convictions. I can’t say everything. Do you understand? There are things I can’t say. Even if you can’t imagine the explanation, Sister, remember that there are circumstances beyond your knowledge. Even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion and not a fact.” Having said this, he says that he “appeal[s]” to Aloysius, putting himself “in [her] hands.”
Father Flynn upholds that he “can’t say everything,” which is intentionally ambiguous on Shanley's part. Flynn could mean that he can't give Sister Aloysius an explanation that will satisfy her and relieve her doubt, since only he and Donald will ever know what happened during their meeting. However, it’s also possible that he did molest Donald, and that he's implying that he can’t bring himself to fully confess to what he’s done, since doing so would make him feel too guilty. Neither Sister Aloysius nor the audience can know for sure what he means, which is reflected in Flynn's statement that Sister Aloysius can’t possibly feel any sense of “certainty” regarding this situation. This could be read as him trying to destabilize her convictions by using his conception of doubt against her, suggesting that one can never be sure about anything. This, of course, doesn’t quite accord with what he says at the beginning of the play, when he urges his congregants to blindly follow their beliefs. Now, he wants Sister Aloysius to see her convictions as fickle and inaccurate, though it’s obvious that this tactic won’t work on her, since she’s so committed to her moral responsibility to protect children like Donald Muller.
Themes
“Where’s your compassion?” Father Flynn asks when Sister Aloysius refuses to pity him. “Nowhere you can get at it,” she replies. “Stay here. Compose yourself. Use the phone if you like. Good day, Father. I have no sympathy for you. I know you’re invulnerable to true regret.” Then, just before she leaves, she says, “And cut your nails.” Once she’s gone, Father Flynn walks to the door and dials a number. “Yes,” he says. “This is Father Brendan Flynn of St. Nicholas parish. I need to make an appointment to see the bishop.”
As soon as Sister Aloysius is gone, Father Flynn calls the bishop. While the play does not show the substance of this conversation, it seems that Father Flynn is making use of the Catholic Church’s power structures, effectively trying once again to use his position of authority to escape accountability for his actions (if he's guilty) and/or damage to his reputation (if Sister Aloysius publicly accuses him of pedophilia, regardless of whether or not he's guilty). It seems that Flynn is correct that Sister Aloysius (and indeed the audience) will never have certainty regarding the nature of his relationship with Donald. But the play nevertheless encourages the audience to see that institutions like the Church consolidate power in a way that allows people who are guilty of misdeeds to go unpunished.
Themes
