Doubt: A Parable

Doubt, A Parable is a 2004 play by John Patrick Shanley. Originally staged off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club on November 23, 2004, the production transferred to the Walter Kerr Theatre on Broadway in March 2005 and closed on July 2, 2006 after 525 performances and 25 previews. The play won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. The play was turned into an Academy Award-nominated film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Flynn and Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius.

Plot

The play is set in the fictional St. Nicholas Church School, in the Bronx, during the fall of 1964. It opens with a sermon by Father Flynn, a beloved and progressive parish priest, addressing the importance of uncertainty ("Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty," he says). The school's principal, Sister Aloysius, a rigidly conservative nun vowed to the order of the Sisters of Charity, insists upon constant vigilance. During a meeting with a younger nun, Sister James, it becomes clear that Aloysius harbors a deep mistrust toward her students, her fellow teachers, and society in general. Naïve and impressionable, James is easily upset by Aloysius’s severe manner and harsh criticism.

Doubt

Doubt characterises a status in which the mind remains suspended between two contradictory propositions and unable to assent to either of them Doubt on an emotional level is indecision between belief and disbelief. Doubt involves uncertainty, distrust or lack of sureness of an alleged fact, an action, a motive, or a decision. Doubt questions a notion of a perceived "reality", and may involve delaying or rejecting relevant action out of concerns for mistakes or faults or appropriateness. (compare paradox).

Definition

The concept of doubt as a suspense between two contradictory propositions covers a range of phenomena: on a level of the mind it involves reasoning, examination of facts and evidence and on an emotional level believing and disbelief.

In premodern theology doubt was "the voice of an uncertain conscience" and important to realize, because when in doubt "the safer way is not to act at all".

Impact on society

Doubt sometimes tends to call on reason. Doubt may encourage people to hesitate before acting, and/or to apply more rigorous methods. Doubt may have particular importance as leading towards disbelief or non-acceptance.

Doubt!!

Doubt!! (ダウト!!, Dauto!!) is a shōjo manga series by Kaneyoshi Izumi. Doubt!! is published in Japan by Shogakukan, in North America in English by VIZ Media and in French by Kaze Manga. It follows Ai Maekawa, a teenager who gives herself a total makeover in the break between middle school and high school in a bid to reinvent her image and become popular.

Plot

Ai Maekawa is a jimi, a homely, studious girl. After being horribly embarrassed by a popular student towards the end of middle school, Ai uses the break between middle and high school to carry out a complete makeover. Between dieting, makeup and new clothes, Ai makes herself into a beauty. Imbued with newfound confidence, she decides to pursue Sô Ichinose, the most handsome and popular boy in her class. Over the course of the series, Ai attempts to win and keep Sô's affections, as well as friends both female and male.

Characters

Kuma first appears in volume 4 on page 112. He is considered a "beast" due to his hirsutism. Because of his excessive body hair and giant unibrow, his classmates ridicule him. Ai decides to give him a makeover. But then Kuma interprets this act of kindness as love and decides to break up Ai and Sô.

Doubt (album)

Doubt was the second album by the British band Jesus Jones, released in 1991. The album reached #25 in the US and topped the UK chart.

According to the album booklet, Doubt was recorded in seven days in May 1990, but "the mixing took a bit longer". While the album had been finished in the spring of 1990, its release was delayed until the beginning of 1991 by the band's label Food Records.

There is a message in the booklet which warns people of "possible damage to musical equipment". It reads:

This message is believed to refer to the song "Stripped", which was not played live until their performance at the Woolley Festival in their native Bradford-on-Avon in 2014 because, as he stated on stage at the time, it was "unlistenable". The booklet also gives small descriptions to the songs. For example, "I'm Burning" is subtitled "A re-occurrence of the B-side that was too good syndrome". The booklet also claims Doubt to be inspired by both legal and pirate radio stations in London.

Jesus Jones have said the songs on the album are primarily about hope, optimism, and enjoying everything around you.