Working Title: Parental Favouritism: [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=1wq72xof&trope=ParentalFavoritism From YKTTW]]

{{Lale}}: Don't see any plot hole here: "''Another'' Biblical example - the parable of the prodigal son. The younger son demands that his father give him his share of the inheritance ''now'', leaves home, squanders his money and is reduced to living with pigs as a result. Swallowing his pride, he returns home...where his father throws a party for him, killing the fatted calf and rejoicing that his son has returned. All very nice...until big brother, who's been working all this time, comes home to find his errant sibling the centre of attention. When he complains to his father, the reassurance "all that I have is yours. But your brother was lost, and now he has been found" doesn't quite wash when big bro mentions that he's been doing as his father wished all this time, and hasn't been allowed "so much as a goat to have a party with my friends." While the story was a parable about "returning to God," some thought really should have been given to that particular plot hole..." Kids exaggerate and talk in extremes and absolutes when mad at their parents: "You ''never'' let me do anything fun!"... "You ''never'' listen to me!"... "You ''always'' take his side!"

FantiSci: Hmm. I'd argue with that, but then I would since I wrote the example. It seems strange that the parable basically states that the responsible brother was never rewarded for his trouble, while the younger one screwed up badly and had a party thrown for him. I know ''I'd'' feel hard done by if it happened to me - notice the father doesn't deny that he's never indulged the elder son. Splitting the inheritance before Dad's dead in the first place would also imply that Little Bro has a lot of influence over dear ol' dad.
Still, this is a Wiki, not a theology debate. Maybe it's too abstract/subjective to be an example. And now you've given me the weirdest vision of Jesus telling parables complete with whiny teenage voice effects...

{{Lale}}: Would it be inappropriate to respond?

FantiSci: I don't think so...BTW - reading over the entry, I agree with you, it's probably my own personal gripe with the parable speaking rather than objectivity. ^_^;; I just always felt sorry for the un-prodigal son.

What about Nothing's Fair In Fifth Grade by Barthe DeClements (and two sequels) that feature Elsie Edwards. Her younger sister, Robyn, is obviously the favoured one in the family - while Elsie is constantly being verbally abused by her mother.

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TaperW: On the ''OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' example -- I read the situation as the opposite: that Kyoya specifically has to ''completely'' upstage his older brothers if he wants to inherit the family business. "Your brothers did well in school, but ''you'' can't expect to get anything for merely being as good as them, you have to do a lot more." (I'm basing this off my viewing of the anime, as I've not gotten that far in the manga.) Comments?