Doubt, By John Patrick Shanley

Sexual Assault

"The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6). Doubt is something that everyone experiences but it is the way you handle doubt that changes everything. Those that see doubt as an obstacle to overcome are better off than those who see it as a setback. In the play "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley, we see a conservative nun, Sister Aloysius, at St. Nicholas' Catholic school who has many doubts about the legitimacy and dignity of a certain priest, Father Flynn. Doubt is a strong theme present throughout the play and the ending reveals the negative effects of doubting without valid reason. Over the course of history, it is evident that there have been many accusations of sexual abuse

Sister Aloysius recruits a young, naive nun (Sister James) to assist her in monitoring the suspicious yet charismatic Father Flynn. She also addresses her concerns to Donald's mother, who surprisingly is not horrified or even shocked by the allegations. (Mrs. Muller is more concerned about her son getting into high school and avoiding a beating from his dad.) The play concludes with a one-on-one confrontation between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn as she attempts to get the truth out of the priest. This nun is a diligent task-master who firmly believes that subjects such as art and dance class are a waste of time. She contends that good teachers are cold and cunning, creating a bit of fear within the hearts of the students. In some ways, Sister Aloysius might fit the stereotype of the angry Catholic school nun who slaps the hands of students with a ruler.

However, playwright John Patrick Shanley reveals his true motives in the play's dedication:This play is dedicated to the many orders of Catholic nuns who have devoted their lives to serving others in hospitals, schools and retirement homes. Though they have been much maligned and ridiculed, who among us has been so generous.In the spirit

An unwelcome sisterhood.” Now, the story is about these women and the thousands of women like them who have suffered sexual assault and all it incumbent pain.(LA Times). Thirty-five women have given voice and power to the thousands of women who have hidden their sexual assault due to fear shame, fear, confusion, a desire to put it behind them, or misguided loyalty; it empowers even those who came forward with their rape allegations.Draped in black, the color of loss, the picture powerfully illustrates that sexual assault victims are from all walks of life. These women allege that their assaults took place when they were young, and middle aged, while they were in college, while they were working; while they were mothers, when they were childless. They were students, and athletes; models, actresses, and Playboy bunnies. They are white, black and brown. In short, they could be any woman.They communally bereave what they have lost: their power, an ability to trust, their comfort with their sexuality, their innocence. And in their collective sorrow and remembrance, they regain control of what was taken from them years ago by a man by repudiating together Cosby’s claim of innocence. There is no more doubt about Bill