Doubt: A Parable

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. As revealed in the play’s subtitle, John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt is a parable. What is a parable? What famous parables have you encountered? What literary or ideological contexts are usually associated with this form of storytelling?

Teaching Suggestion: A parable is a simple story that teaches a religious or ethical lesson. Parables are most commonly associated with religious literature and scripture. The parables in the gospels are particularly famous, as Jesus uses them to illustrate some of his most famous spiritual lessons. It may help to discuss some examples of famous parables (e.g., the parables of the blind men and the elephant, the prodigal son, or the boy who cried wolf) to help students understand the basic elements of this device.

• This article and video from the National Catholic Education Commission define the characteristics of parables, especially in the context of the Bible.
• “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” from the Gospel of Luke is one of the most famous parables in the New Testament.

2. Though written in 2005, Doubt is set in 1964. What do you know about this period in US history? What social and ideological struggles would have impacted people at this time?

Teaching Suggestion: In the preface to his play, Shanley himself characterizes the 1960s as a period when “the whole world seemed to be going through some kind of vast puberty” (viii). To strengthen students’ understanding of this time period in history, consider discussing key events, such as the Cold War, the presidency and assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the Civil Rights Movement.

• This article from the History Channel discusses the 1960s in US history.
• This article from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum describes President Kennedy’s assassination and its aftermath.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What does religion mean to you? What role does religion play in your life, your community, or your family? Has a religion in your community been involved in any recent scandals, and if so, how were these scandals addressed?

Teaching Suggestion: Shanley’s play deals with the numerous cases of sexual abuse uncovered in the Catholic Church during the 20th and 21st centuries, a scandal that has impacted the spiritual lives of numerous people. Those with non-Christian backgrounds have dealt with scandals and spiritual crises in recent decades as well. You might urge students to be open about their religious backgrounds (and any crises of faith they may have experienced) while encouraging them to treat this topic and their peers with sensitivity.