“A Bond as Powerful as Certainty” A person’s doubts can cloud their judgment on certain tasks at hand. On the other hand, a person’s certainty can blind someone from the truth. The argument ofDoubt versus Certainty is relevant today in the sense that it is the main argument for and against religion. The theory of doubt can also be used in literary works for a number of reasons. In John Patrick Shanley’s movie/play Doubt, the theme of “certainty versus doubt” is shown throughout the story to signify the importance of characterization and to symbolize the importance that a person must be cautious of the people around them.
In the movie Doubt, the idea of certainty versus doubt is a central theme to the story. Doubt and certainty are …show more content…

At the end of the story, Sister James claims, “I don’t think Father Flynn did anything wrong.” (Doubt, DVD) While Sister Aloysius is certain he is guilty by saying, “Yes. But if he’d had no such history, the lie wouldn’t have worked. His resignation was his confession. He was what I thought he was. And he’s gone.” (Shanley pg 57) This personality difference is consistent throughout the entire story. The theory of doubt versus certainty in Doubt is important because it differentiates the two lead characters. In this way, the author can illustrate the conflict between the two female characters that is crucial to the story.
The film Doubt has influenced me in the area of belief versus doubt by illustrating the importance of being cautious of the people around me. The movie has caused me to reevaluate my own doubts. The film has urged me to become more confident in my decisions about the people I hang around. The film has also helped me to reflect on a past event where I gave someone the benefit of the doubt and it backfired. When I was in the tenth grade, I was a lot like Sister James. I gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and did not question whether or not my peers were good people or not. There was a kid in my class who seemed weird, but he had no friends so I befriended him. A couple of weeks went by, I let him hang out with my group of friends and no one seemed to mind.