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The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Page history last edited by William Patrick Wend 11 years, 6 months ago

On Biblegateway.com, you can pick the translation you would like to read. 

Biography 

  •  

Journal

  • What, very simply, do you think is the theme of this parable? 

About

Summary

  • In the story, a man has two sons. One requests to receive his inheritance. Once he receives it, he goes off and spends it all. When a famine strikes, he becomes poor and becomes a swineherd. He then returns to his father, stating that he has sinned and requesting that his father make him a servant. The father is just happy that his son returned, so he calls for a celebration. The other brother is angry at this, but the father explains that a celebration is important because the “lost” son is back again.

Questions?

  • Did the father give him the inheritance knowing that he would blow it all?
  • Is it more the parent's fault or the child's? It is the child's because they were "stupid." They blew through the money of their own accord. It was their choices that got them there. Is it the parent's because they knew full well the child would waste the money and they still gave it to them; it was poor planning and not a smart approach to the lesson. 

Analysis

  • There could be two construed themes of this story: repentance and the importance of family relationships.

    • After squandering away all his money, the son swallowed his pride and returned to his father, willing to be a servant. He stated that he had sinned. Therefore, he was repenting for his past bad behavior.

    • The other theme, the importance of family relationships, was brought about because of the son returning to his father, and his father welcoming him back with open arms.

  • Brother wants it acknowledging that he did not screw up.  

  • Even though the other son was angry because they never had a celebration for him, the father explained it was necessary because his brother was lost, and how had come back to them. That is why he was welcomed back.

  • The theme is redemption and forgiveness- father represents God overall, and the son represents people who sin. God is all-forgiving, and thus forgave his son.  

Characters

The Father

  • The Father divides everything he has between his two sons.
  • He is so glad his son comes back, he gives him a robe, a ring, shoes, and a calf.

 

The Younger Son

  • The younger son is the prodigal son.
  • He wants to be free from the household rule of his father.
  • He receives his inheritance and goes off on "a journey to a far country".
  • He realizes that he has sinned and returns home and asks for his father's forgiveness.

 

The Elder Son

  • The elder son faithfully remains home working for his father.

 

The Servants

  • The servants bring the prodigal son the best robe, a ring for his hand, shoes for his feet, and "the fatted calf".

Symbolism

  • The father symbolizes God, who gives his love and forgiveness to his son.
  • The younger son symbolizes a sinner who has left God's care and decided a sinful life was more fun.
  • The eldest son symbolizes people that are self-righteous and believe they are living the christian life.
  • The sevants represent christians sent out to welcome the sinners back into God's grace.

Gender

Point of View

Irony

Ending

  • What happens further down the road? When the father is about to die? Did the child really learn his lesson?
  • Parable's ending leaves it open to interpretation. How does that affect your interpretation of the parable?  

Adaptations

Quotes

  • The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

  • ‘But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found’

Wordle

Bibliography

Previous Paper Topics

  1. Talk about the role of making decisions in some sort the works we have discussed this semester. Among your choices could be A & P, The Parable Of The Prodigal Son, Happy Ending, and The Garden of Forking Paths. Pick at least one of these stories, but perhaps more, and write about how decision making is used to affect one of the themes which we have covered in the course so far.
  2. Something we have spent a fair amount of time in class discussing is what the role of ignorance is in the stories we have read so far. This could include The Yellow Wallpaper, The Parable of the Prodigal Son, and A Rose For Emily. How is ignorance portrayed, or perceived, in these, or other, stories? Write a paper where you engage with how the theme of ignorance influences our close reading in the course so far using at least one, if not more, of these stories.  

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