Read and answer the question: parris: " now mr. hale’s returned, there is hope, i think – for if he bring even one of these to god, that confession surely screws the others in the public eye, and none may doubt more that they are all linked to hell. this way, unconfessed and claiming innocence, doubts are multiplied, many honest people will weep for them, and our good purpose is lost ." which statement best illustrates parris’s character? a)he is more concerned with how people will react when they learn that there are confessions than he is with the fact that innocent people will die. b)confessions from people about their involvement in witchcraft could make people in the community angry, and they might rebel. c)the public will not accept the fact that people confessed and might try to punish them again. d)those that confessed should not confess so that honest people can think that only good was done.

11-32. the main character in the parable, the forgiving father, whose character remains constant throughout the story, is a picture of god. in telling the story, jesus identifies himself with god in his loving attitude to the lost. the younger son symbolizes the lost (the tax collectors and sinners of that day, luke 15: 1), and the elder brother represents the self-righteous (the pharisees and teachers of the law of that day, luke 15: 2). the major theme of this parable seems not to be so much the conversion of the sinner, as in the previous two parables of luke 15, but rather the restoration of a believer into fellowship with the father. in the first two parables, the owner went out to look for what was lost (luke 15: 1-10), whereas in this story the father waits and watches eagerly for his son's return. we see a progression through the three parables from the relationship of one in a hundred (luke 15: 1-7), to one in ten (luke 15: 8-10), to one in one (luke 15: 11-32), demonstrating god’s love for each individual and his personal attentiveness towards all humanity. we see in this story the graciousness of the father overshadowing the sinfulness of the son, as it is the memory of the father’s goodness that brings the prodigal son to repentance (romans 2: 4).