Theatre, read and answer/Climactic or Episodic/Spine of the Play

Answer :

1. Climactic or Episodic?

• Doubt a parable is a climatic play that takes place in one main location, the Bronx. The play consists of 4 characters and consists of a condensed narrative.

2. Spine of the Play?

• Moral responsibility is one of the cantered themes portrayed in DOUBT a parable as John Patrick Shanley suggests that moral responsibility is conceived differently by everyone. For one, Sister Aloysius feels that she is obliged to find out whether inappropriate relations had happened between the only black student in the school and Father Flynn. Another theme we notice which makes up the spine of the play is power and accountability. As the characters exist in time of hierarchal command, it becomes difficult for moral people like Sister Aloysius to gain authority and it is seen that Shanley portrays that structures in the Catholic Church allow people like Father Flynn to use this authority for the benefit of himself without having to take responsibility. As this play explores the controversial topic of religion, inevitably, there will be rising themes of doubt and uncertainty whereby people will question their religious fate. Father Flynn makes a clear statement of trusting their beliefs even when it lacks the evidence to support them. As the play explores themes of tradition and change, these contradictory ideas are seen when Sister Aloysius is committed to ensuring the Catholic Church is run in a traditional, strict, and authoritative manner, whereas Sister James tries to remove these ideas by encouraging her students to be comfortable and relaxed in her class.

3. Exposition: what do we need to understand going in?

• Doubt a parable by John Patrick Shanley is set in the fall of 1964. It takes place in the Bronx, in the fictional St Nicholas Church School. The characters in the play are all of traditional Catholic beliefs and Father Flynn, is known to be the popular, young and fun pastor whereas Sister Aloysius is known to be stricter and more authoritative.

4. What is the point of attack?

The point of attack in the play is when Sister Aloysius is faced with a challenging decision of whether or not she is to address Father Flynn based on her assumptions of the offence in which she believed he had committed. After she had spoken to Sister James, she was to decide what to do with her doubts that had risen and come to the conclusion of either taking moral responsibility to confront Father Flynn or completely ignoring the situation.

5. What is the climax?

• The climax of Doubt a parable is when Sister Aloysius tells Father Flynn that she had spoken with a nun at his previous parish to find out that he is a serial offender. She did this after calling Father Flynn into her office.

6. Denouement (or falling action)—how does it resolve?

• The play resolves towards the end after Sister Aloysius confronts Father Flynn for the offence in which she suspected he had committed, furthermore, Father Flynn denies all the assumptions and continues to threaten Sister Aloysius that he will remove her from her position at the school. After Sister Aloysius proceeds to tell Father Flynn that she contacted the institution at which he previously worked at to find out that he had committedoffences before, Father Flynn declares his innocents and continues to plead with Sister Aloysius. The catholic nun then blackmails Father Flynn to immediately resign and transfer to another institution or she will proceed to publicly announce what he had done. Father Flynn immediately calls the bishop asking for a transfer which he later receives a promotion and moves to another institution.

7. What is this play ABOUT?

• The play Doubt a parable is about a catholic institution called St Nicholas Church Schoolwhereby a traditional, strict nun, Sister Aloysius, has suspected thoughts of a criminal offence from another pastor, Father Flynn. After sharing her thoughts with fellow sister, Sister James, she confronts Father Flynn which results in conflict as he denies any obligations made by Sister Aloysius. Sister James is portrayed as calm and understanding alongside Father Flynn who is widely loved and popular amongst the students. After Sister Aloysius explores her doubts within the school and her fellow pastors, she blackmails Father Flynn after her discovery of previous convictions and demands he transfer immediately.

8. What is the playwright’s message?

• The main message conveyed by the playwriter (John Patrick Shanley) is moral responsibility. Shanley explores the waters of this central theme throughout as the play is about a catholic nun, Sister Aloysius suspectinganother pastor, Father Flynn, for having inappropriate relations with an alter noy. Thus,causing a great amount of conflict for Sister Aloysius as she then must decide how to handle such a situation. The playwriter carries this theme throughout and focuses strongly on the idea of moral responsibility.

9. What kind of language does Shanley use in the play?

• Although the play is situated in the Bronx which is an area often associated with a strong marked dialect, Shanley uses vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation that is classed as acceptable English by American societies educational system and the Roman Catholic Church.

10. How do the characters speak? What does it reflect about them?

• The main characters in the play (Sister Aloysius, Father Flynn, and Sister James) use social dialects as a form of standard English, conveying their responsibilities and roles as catholic nuns and pastors. Their use of language (formal English) reflects that they are well educated people who intend on portraying a certain image on their students at St Nicholas Church School. Mrs Miller’s speech,however, is based on the area in which she lives, The Bronx. This entails dialect from the social environment of the black working classwhich entails that Mrs Muller may not be of a wealthy background and that she may not be of the same up bringing as the other characters in the play.