As I began my reading of Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, I
realized that I never hear of this Play so I did not know what to expect.
Reading the play was difficult to follow. Luckily, I found a video of the play
and was able to follow along in the textbook.
Doubt is an intriguing story of doubt has the power to
change perspectives. It also is a story about how the gut feeling of doubt
should be taken seriously, as doubt is something that cannot always be proved but
can give the sense of something not being right. An example of this is how Sister
Aloysius had doubt in Father Flynn. This doubt was expressed to Sister James
and although Sister James never in 100% agreement with the accusations of Father
Flynn’s inappropriate behavior. Sister James changed her perspective about
Father Flynn and no longer maintained the untinged innocence that she displayed
in the beginning of the play before Sister Aloysius criticized her teaching
methods. When Mrs. Muller was confronted with the potential accusations against
Father Flynn she changed her perspective from wanting her son to get through
school so he could attend a “good” high school to allowing Father Flynn to have
his way with her son because in her mind they just had to make it until June
then it would end. Although Father Flynn’s innocence was never proven, his
perspective changed about the parish he was in and acknowledge the presence of
inappropriate behavior by asking to be transferred to another parish after
learning about a phone call that Sister Aloysius made to a previous parish. The
phone call that Sister Aloysius supposedly made to a previous parish was later
confessed to Sister James as a lie.
While reading/watching the play I found myself disturbed by
the content. Yet, realized that the play accurately mirrors society as society
has a way of ignoring inappropriate behavior until someone is willing to call
them out on it.
As John Patrick Shanley wrote this play I believe that he
included many sensitive topics as it is easier for people to accept sensitive
topics in a play than being confronted about them in another manner. The plays
setting is Fall of 1964. During this period of time in history there were
racial tensions and abuse of power from those in respected positions both of
which play big parts in the play. I also
believe that John Patrick Shanley named the play Doubt as a play on words from
the legal realm where guilt has to be proven beyond the shadow of a doubt. All in all we will never know if Father Flynn
is guilty of the accusations of inappropriate conduct or the real reason why
Sister Aloysius was so cold or judgmental (page 1711 implies that she may be mentally instable due
to her comment on taking medications).
However, the play does leave those who read or watch it with the eerie
feeling that it only take one to cause enough doubt which has the power to
change the lives of those around them.
Hey Emily,
ReplyDeleteI like the way you mentioned the setting, as you painted a clear picture of the time frame in which the story takes place. The history illustrates why some of the social issues were taking place. For example, Donald Muller was the first African American to be attending this private school, and the history explains why it would mean so much to his mother that he should stay at the school.
You are right; some of the content presented could be categorized as "disturbing". Although, I agree with you, these things happen in society. I think it is brave for a writer to bring up such a "sensitive" topic that could be categorized as unsettling or controversial. Overall, Shanley left us unsettled, so if that was his intent, he did a good job.
Thank you for adding the part about Sister Aloysius' medication; I did not give that line a second thought when I read it in the text. However, that take is very enlightening, and can take away from Sister Aloysius' credibility as a character witness/accuser. It could also speak as to why she seemed to fall apart, all at once, at the very end. Perhaps she was a little unstable.
Thank you for your insights!
DeleteHi Trevor, It’s interesting how this play touched on so many sensitive topics in history! Whether sensitive topics are discussed on TV, the movies or in theatre somehow it easier to accept hearing someone talk about controversial issues when they are not talking directly to you. It’s almost like watching from a bird’s eye perspective – you can hear it all but your own thoughts and views are never in question.
I’m glad that you also agree the fact that Sister Aloysius takes medication can take away from her credibility. In my opinion after knowing this fact, her past is now in question because she has implied that she experienced great trauma in losing her husband. I wonder how has this impacted her capacity to make sound decisions. I would question the type of medication and how this has impacted her ability to accept others. Does she not want to see anyone happy – as she worked so hard to keep Sister James from displaying happiness as a teacher. Not to say that Father Flynn is not guilty – I believe that he has a checkered past himself but it does raise a few valid questions.
Hey Emily,
ReplyDeleteI too thought of finding a video of the play so I was able to follow along because it was a very difficult read. I hesitated because I didn't know if the video would change my thoughts or point of view of the written words of the play, as plays and movie adaptions often due but I'm glad to hear it worked out for you.
I agree that doubt is sort of transferable in the sense that one only need to convince someone else slightly of something in order to plant a seed of doubt in a person or situation. It can also greatly change perception.
you brought up somethings that I didn't necessarily think of like sister Aloysius' medication usage and the time frame in which the play took place.
Quisha, That was my concern with watching the play versus reading it. Luckily, I was able to find a play with verbage that was verbatim. I also followed along in the book
DeleteLYSISTRATA
ReplyDeleteLysistrata by Aristophanes was a unique play as it touched on topics that are not generally talked about in a public setting. I believe the main idea had to do with the battle of the sexes. Each side wanted to prove that they were superior and maintained control. Throughout the play, women used sex to try to manipulate the men which only created sexual tension.
I find it interesting that the play was written in 411 BCE. The introduction for Lysistrata stated on page 156 that “the suffering of women had been a major theme in the tragedies of Euripides, and everyone in Aristophanes audience would have understood Lysistrata’s motivation”. I wonder if Lysistrata’s character along with the women she influenced an extreme exaggeration of typical women during that time or if she was not that far off from reality. I am also curious if cultural influences positivity or negatively affected this play as on Page 156 it also states that “Aristophanes offered them a fantasy that challenged them on many levels”. I also wonder how society accepted the play. Clearly, it has managed to live through the years but was it extremely controversial or was it an instant hit? All in all I did find the play humorous, a little long but I was able to follow it better than last weeks play.
Hi Emily, I agree that it was a battle of the sexes. You pose an interesting thought of "cultural influences positively or negatively affecting this play." I wonder if the women were feeling neglected and if they often used this technique to prove a point or was this just a different approach the writer wanted to use to add comedy to play writing.
DeleteHi Darcel,
DeleteI never thought of the author taking the women's approach as comedy. Who knows? He very well could created an underlying tone where he is poking fun at all the women in society. Good point!
Hi Emily, I agree I was able to follow this play better in terms of interest. Even though with all the chorus lines and jokes it was hard to keep up, the overall appeal of the play for me was better than last weeks play. I enjoyed this play far more. For some reason I feel that although extremely exaggerated that this may have been a real event in these times. I say that because throughout history women have been know to use their sexuality as a means to solve a problem and in some cases it has worked in others, not so much. I also think with battle of the sexes and the way that men viewed women in that time period that it was not an instant hit. thank you for your questions, they really made me think in a different direction and thank you for you blog.
ReplyDeleteQuisha,
DeleteI think you are right. Perhaps the play was not an instant hit. Especially with the women. Maybe they were offended by it?
Hello Emily, In the, I, too, I found the play a little difficult to read, but the more and more I started reading line upon line, I was able to start to visualize and see how the play began to take form. For a moment I almost had my own doubts as well as to Father Flynn's innocence when the accusation was presented to Sister James. It seems like doubt ran throughout the whole play of every character. What shocks me the most was Mrs. Mueller's doubt that Father Flynn had done anything and if he did, it was acceptable in her eyes just, so her child got to finish school in June. I think Sister Aloysius was such a manipulative character in the play. Father Flynn persuaded me to believe that he really was innocent and that it was the Senior Sister that just wanted to get rid of him. I found her to not be very credible at all because in fact, if he really was guilty, why didn't she go to the head Priest of the school to bring this out in the open? You bring up a very good point Emily that during this time there was a lot of civil unrest during the Civil Rights Movement. And during that time, in our country, blacks didn't have the opportunity to be innocent until proven guilty. There was no doubt about it, if you were black, you are guilty before you can be proven innocent. It's great that you brought up a point about the Sister taking medication. That line flew right by me! This topic that Shanley wrote about must have been very controversial during that time. As the innocence Father Flynn portrayed himself to be; just the thought of a father figure in a school molesting a child resonates with the reputation of being a Priest being outed as child molesters back then as it is today. Anne Parker
ReplyDelete