The Prodigal Son

Characters:

1. Younger Son (Prodigal Son)

Prodigal means a person who spends money irresponsibly and extravagantly .

 Protagonist character because he is the leading/main character and a

cause or course of action.
 The prodigal son was unmarried and young, perhaps a teenager.
 He is lacked of self-control because he was restless and compelled to
partake in all he could afford in terms of wicked pleasures and he
choose the ways of the world over the ways of God.
 The prodigal son was a repentant man because he was once
spiritually lost and has returned to his father after he realized his
wrong doings.

2. Older Son
 Considered as Antagonist character because he presents an obstacle
or is in direct conflict with the protagonist.
 Worked for his father not out of love but for reward.
 Jealous toward his younger sibling.
 Resentful
 Angered at why his father celebrates with his once rebellious son.
 A rule-keeper son because he is faithful to his father’s commands and
think that his obedience and good acts have put him in right standing
with his father.
 A self-pity, jealous and anger son because he believed that his father
wasn't fair, because the father organized a party for his younger son
when he returned at their home. The older son got mad because he
didn’t think he was getting what he deserved for his faithful service.
 Self-pity because he didn’t value relationships but rather life is
centered around obedience to a mechanical set of rules. He is
repelled / angered by the mercy and grace of his father’s towards his
younger brother when he turns back and repented his sin.

3. Loving Father
 Static character typically minor character because he does not
undergo important change in the story. The love that he showed from
the beginning is the same at the end of the story.
 A father who reflected divine love because the Father's love bursts
upon the scene. There is no condemnation. There will be no guilt
 trips. There would be no "I told you so" pointing of the finger to his
younger son. There will only be love, pure and unconditional love.

Setting:

 Happens during ancient Israel

 Home – the story happens at their home.
 Barn – a place where the large farm building used for storing grain,
hay, or straw or for housing livestock and perhaps in the story this is
the place where the servants and the older son worked.

Conflict:

The conflict arises when the youngest son sets out on a journey to a distant
nation. He ends up wasting his money and is forced to do far job for a town citizen. He lives in
poverty and his work is feeding the pigs. He sees that his father's servants have it better than
he does, and he resolves to go to his father and seek for forgiveness because he has wronged
him. Then he begins on his journey back home.

MORAL LESSON:
Avoid living a life that is foolish and reckless. What you have may
be plenty today, but don’t be wasteful. Be a prudent manager of
the resources given you. Anything you waste will soon finish. The
things of this world are not life-giving and will leave you feeling
empty. Though they may satisfy you for a season, eventually
what the world offers fades in its appeal and satisfaction. Be wise
on using the resources that our Lord God given to us. Don’t waste
the investment of God in your life. Don’t waste the gifts and
opportunities God has given you.

Lastly, the acceptance and pleasure God gives us never, ever

fades or runs dry. We will never exhaust the end of God’s love
and care for us—that is something worth running back into His
arms.