Anita Diamant’s novel The Red Tent is a Midrash revolved around the biblical passage of Genesis 34: Dinah and the Shechemites. In this story Anita Diamant gives a voice to Simeon and Levi’s sister, Dinah, who is known as the woman who was raped then later loved by Shechem. After Shechem’s injustice of Dinah, Shechem and his city were slaughtered by Simeon and Levi. Both bible passages and the novel The Red Tent provide some similar and some different characteristic traits for Simeon and Levi which in turn allows the readers to take away and learn more from the Midrash story. The readers are able to further involve themselves in the relevance of Dinah’s voice and story. Even though Simeon and Levi are separate individuals, for the purpose …show more content…
Simeon and Levi grew through both their experiences of violence and faith. Eventually they repented their sins they brought upon Joseph, their brother. The most significant aspect of their personalities is their zeal for cruelty and violence. In the Testament of the Patriarchs, it is understood that God came to both the Simeonites and Levites discussing their enthusiasm for violence. Eventually, even though warned by Simeon, the Simeonites could not overcome their obsession of cruelty and violence. Therefore, the Simeonites numbers eventually decreased and they were finally absorbed into the Judahites. The Levites, on the other hand, overcame their zeal for cruelty and violence by focusing their fixation towards God thereby becoming a holy priesthood.
Through passages in the bible and the Testament of the Patriarchs, Simeon and Levi were characterized as cruel, rash and violent leaders who were considered righteous in their vengeance of Shechem. But they made many dishonest and immoral decisions such as enslaving Joseph. Even though they made these dishonest decisions, the Levites were able to sustain and thrive as a holy priesthood; whereas the Simeonites were unable to change their ways, this eventually led to their obsolescence. In Anita Diamant’s novel, The Red Tent,
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were seen as people who failed to listen to God’s commandments. Despite knowing beforehand that they would be punished for their disobedience, they still continued to commit sin. God tried to deter their misbehavior by promising them many blessings, but it worked to no avail. Due to the insubordination of the Israelites, He made sure that the promises He made to them would be withheld and that they would face consequences.
The Red tent is a book that follows the life of a woman named Dinah. The stories that are told throughout take place in biblical times, and follows some of the lineage of the bible itself. The book begins by telling the story of Dinah’s four mothers, along with their relationship with Dinah’s father Jacob. After being introduced to Dinah herself, the book follows her life story from beginning to end, all the way from Haran, through Canaan, Shechem, and into Egypt. Throughout this paper, I will be describing and comparing events of the book verses modern day, in relationship to child birthing practices, family dynamics, personal life experiences of characters, along with discussing herbs, spices, and medications used by
Firstly, Joseph Strorm has a strong sense of hateful violence. “The norm is the image of God. You do know, and yet knowing this, you deliberately wishes yourself mutant” (Wyndham 27). This is said when David stated it would be easier to tend his own wound if he were to have a third arm. After that was said, Joseph started to yell at his son and call him a blasphemy, and with anger.
Genesis 34 describes the story of Dinah, her rape, and the events that follow. The story of Dinah has inspired many written publications which work to provide background to the life of Dinah and expand on her story because so little information is given on her life and the events that took place to merit her story in the bible. Interpreting the story of Dinah is a popular theme in articles and novels alike because of how little is known of the life of Dinah. Genesis 34 gives a brief snippet of information about Dinah, but instead focuses more on the actions of her brothers in response to Dinah and Shechem.
Those made him think of justice after all years: He wanted to kill Moses and all of teachers who abused him and Mexican kids. However, when he saw his father forgiving a doctor who was the main reason of Joseph’s death, he quit his revenge and excused those teachers.
About 500 years after the death of Abraham, his descendants through Isaac were living in Egypt as slaves. Genesis 37 to 50 tells the story of how this came about. The 10 oldest sons of Abraham's grandson Jacob disliked their younger brother Joseph so much that they found a way to sell him to traders who in turn sold him to an Egyptian officer as a slave. In his new land, Joseph went through a series of ups and downs and eventually became the prime minister of Egypt, the highest official under the king. God enabled Joseph to foresee an approaching time of famine, and used him to store up food and then distribute it during the famine. His political position made it possible for him to settle his father's family in Egypt's most fertile territory. Here they prospered for many years. However, the time came when the leaders of Egypt began to view the rapidly growing Israelite community as a threat. As a result, they made slaves of the Israelites, treating them with ever-increasing harshness. Finally, desperate because the descendants of Jacob continued to multiply, they issued an order that all their male babies be destroyed at birth. The first 12 chapters of Exodus tell the story of how the Lord responded to the cries of His people. He miraculously provided Moses to be their leader, sent 10 plagues on the Egyptians, helped the Israelites celebrate their first Passover, and led them out of the land of bondage. It appears that as they left for Canaan, they had no
to scatter your enemy, to drive him before you,to see his cities reduced to ashes, to see those who love him shrouded in tears,and to gather into your bosom his wives and daughters." Genghis Khan, much like the Hebrew Bible during certain points, regards women as objects. However, to write the Hebrew Bible off as fully misogynistic would not do the ancient texts justice. From Genesis to Judges 2, the Hebrew Bible objectifies women, uses them as scapegoats, but during certain points rises them to the level of highly admired Prophets and warriors. This essay attempts to explore the various undertones of femininity depicted throughout the Hebrew Bible.
Favored Joseph and put him in charge for the sake of being on god’s good side
Jacob’s preferential treatment towards Joseph was destructive, and created dissension among Joseph’s brothers (fueled sibling rivalry –
Joseph began his life as the favorite son of Jacob who tended to the flocks as a shepherd.3 These humble beginnings foreshadow how one day Joseph will tend to the Seed of the Woman during times of famine in the land by giving food to this eleven brothers. Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, had eleven other sons who were jealous of the special attention that Joseph received. In fact, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.4 Joseph had a dream that predicted that Joseph would one day reign over his older brothers. This upset his brothers and they tricked Joseph by selling him into slavery. Joseph was then taken to Egypt where he was sold to Potiphar and became a servant in
Throughout the book, The Chosen, there are four major qualifying characters for the role of “The Chosen One”. David Malter is the father of Reuven Malter, and is an active Zionist. Reb Saunders is the father of Danny Saunders, and doesn’t talk to his son with the hopes of teaching him compassion. Reuven is Danny’s friend, and is a bridge among all the characters. Danny becomes friends with Reuven after hitting him in the eye with a softball, and also works with David in the library in secrecy. While all these characters have major roles, only one can be crowned with the winning title. Reuven Malter is “the chosen one”. Through the development of the character, Reuven, we see a sheltered young boy learn to find compassion in his heart all
Throughout the novel The Chrysalids Joseph’s temper showed and caught the reader’s thoughts. There were many times when Joseph’s temper got the best of him. For example, when David and Petra were caught as being blasphemies. Joseph quickly joins the search party for them. He does not even care if they are his own family. His temper gets the best of him in this situation because he does not take the time to think about his family. David is caught holding a secret about a blasphemy. This sends Joseph into a mad rage. Joseph does not stop to think or calm down. He whips David until David lets the truth slip. This shows Joseph is extremely temper mental. He does not let any blasphemies get away without punishment. In the past, Joseph was caught
In Diamant’s powerful novel The Red Tent the ever-silent Dinah from the 34th chapter of Gensis is finally given her own voice, and the story she tells is a much different one than expected. With the guiding hands of her four “mothers”, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, all the wives of Jacob, we grow with Dinah from her childhood in Mesoptamia through puberty, where she is then entered into the “red tent”, and well off into her adulthood from Cannan to Egypt. Throughout her journey we learn how the red tent is constantly looked upon for encouragement, solace, and comfort. It is where women go once a month during menstration, where they have their babies, were they dwell in illness and most importantly, where
At the end of Joseph’s story he forgives his brothers. Instead of seeking revenge he tells his brothers, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:5). Joseph is able to forgive those that caused him his suffering, as Joseph views himself as part of God’s plan. Similarly, as the guards lead Jesus to be crucified he forgives them saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The forgiveness offered by Joseph and Jesus to those who wrong them exhibits the strength of the two characters, lack of sin, and role of God in their lives. Throughout the Old Testament there are allusions to a Messiah. The intertextuality between
Joseph was the first born child of Rachel and because he was born to Jacob in his old age, Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons and made Joseph a richly ornamented robe, therefore Joseph’s brothers hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph also had dreams that indicated that he would reign over his brothers and this caused more hatred toward him. His brothers were jealous of the love that he received from their father and because of his dreams. Consequently, Joseph’s brothers plotted to kill him but instead they sold him to some Ishmaelites that were passing through to Egypt.