When the older brother sees the celebration for his younger brother’sreturn, he grows angry. He makes a very reasonable set of complaints to his father. He has indeed been a loyal and moral son, but what virtue does the older brother lack?

What will be an ideal response?



  • The older brother lacks forgiveness and compassion for his younger brother. This parable’s theme would be less dramatically presented if we did not see— and probably feel some sympathy with—the older brother’s uncharitable reaction to the prodigal’s return. We know nothing of his past relationship with his brother. But we do know that his anger is so inflamed that he does not join his father’s party; as this passage says, referring to the older son: “and he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.”



Perhaps he is embittered because Jewish cultural expectations require elder sons to take care of their younger siblings. Perhaps part of his bitterness stems from the reality that the younger’s return means that the elder will have to share his future inheritance. Perhaps the older brother also feels jealous because he “missed out” on his chance to have fun. Whatever the motive, this elder son is now the one acting shamefully: his unwillingness to greet his brother, his refusal to attend the party, and his public disrespect of his father all demonstrate that the eldest son may be more lost than the youngest ever was.

Language Arts & World Languages

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What will be an ideal response?

Language Arts & World Languages

The final paragraph of an essay should

a. reemphasize your thesis statement. b. directly announce the end of the essay. c. repeat the information in your first paragraph. d. provide any necessary background information.

Language Arts & World Languages