Conclusion

An overview is given of the ways in which the Prodigal Son appears in various literary genres and periods, as well as his waiting father and older brother. Reading the literary texts as contextual exegesis of the parable, the main findings of each chapter are summarized and compared. Colm Tóibín’s reflections on the new power of religious language in literary contexts, beyond the realm of belief, are offered as a way to understand that which has been lost and found in the journey the Prodigal Son has made through literature.