Doubt: A Parable

This scene describes the meeting between Sister Aloysius, Sister James, and Father Flynn. As it opens, Sister Aloysius speaks of last night’s windstorm, and tell Sister James that Sister Veronica hurt herself tripping over a fallen branch.

When Father Flynn enters, they begin to talk about the Christmas pageant. Father Flynn and Sister James push to perform a secular song. Sister Aloysius at first resists, but relents, as Father Flynn writes an idea for a sermon on intolerance. Father Flynn further states that they should be friendlier, take the boys on camping trips and the like, to show that they are like their congregation. Sister Aloysius disagrees, saying, “the working class members of this parish trust us to be different” (30).

Sister Aloysius shifts the conversation by saying they must be careful how they use Donald Muller in the pageant, to not showcase any special treatment. She then accuses Father Flynn of singling him out in a private meeting in the rectory. Father Flynn begins to realize that the tide of the conversation is turning, and becomes defensive. As Sister Aloysius pushes him to talk about it, saying that Donald behaved differently afterward, Father Flynn at first calls the matter private, saying he objects to the Sister’s

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