Rachel dinah s aunt, leah dinah s mother, and later dinah herself, all become midwives, helping other women who are delivering their babies. Told in dinah s voice, the novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. Simon and levi, two of her brothers, avenge dinah by killing all the. In diamants version, dinah falls in love with shalem, the canaanite prince, and goes to bed with him in preparation for marriage. It is a firstperson narrative that tells the story of dinah, daughter of jacob and leah, sister of joseph. Whether she knew it or not, i was reading along with her. Leah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhah all bring their own unique gifts and influences to bear on dinah s life. It begins with the story of the mothersleah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhahthe four wives of jacob.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. I read this book as a woman, a mother, a human being, and dinah s story resonated with me as such. This is the womens tent, the place to stay while menstruating. The book it is important to define what the red tent is. Leah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhah, the four wives of jacob. In the red tent dinahs story reaches out from a remarkable period of. The red tent by anita diamant goodreads share book. Finally, dinah and her family move to the lands just outside the foreign city of shechem. Except thats not quite what happens in the red tent. Leah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhah all bring their own unique gifts and influences to bear on dinahs life. In the bible, dinah s story is only briefly mentioned. Were dinahs brothers excluding simon and levi at fault for the murders at shechem. The red tent 2005 read online free book by anita diamant in.
Would dinahs staying, or at least returning, and holding her ground within the red tent and outside it, have led to a more compelling narrative about feminism, covenant, and jewish communal burnout. I read this book as a woman, a mother, a human being. Told in dinahs voice, anita diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. She has her period and is initiated as a proper woman in the world of the red tent. Dinahs story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate, immediate connection. In the bible, dinahs life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the book of genesis that are about her father, jacob, and his dozen sons.
In the first chapter, dinahs mother and aunts and grandfather are introduced. The red tent tells this story from dinahs point of view, and it is the story as we have never heard it before. Dinahs relationship with her mother and her three aunts is at the novels heart and gives it its name. The red tent by anita diamant tells the story of the biblical character dinah, jacobs daughter and josephs sister. In the red tent dinah s story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history to create an intimate, immediate connection. Empower yourself, take hold of your narrative, tell your story through dinahs. The red tent book the seattle public library bibliocommons. The red tent is rooted in its feminist retelling of this ancient biblical story, in which the idea of a menstrual hut has struck a cord with modern women. She ends up making a few more friends, but the gist of it is that the sons of. The red tent is an american television miniseries produced by paula weinstein and directed by roger young. Dinah s story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate, immediate connection.
She is a minor character in the bible, but the author has broadened her story. Deeply affecting, the red tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction. The red tent book johnson county library bibliocommons. All 141 characters in the red tent are listed by chapter with character descriptions included. Because she is now grown, dinah becomes an apprentice under rachel, the local midwife. The novel the red tent by anita diamant is a fictional autobiography of the biblical dinah. They love dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through childhood, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign. I have read the red tent without any substantial biblical knowledge, so i did not see those biblical references the author built dinah s story upon. Dinahs brothers kill shalem the red tent rebecca ferguson veronique laurent. It begins with the story of her mothersleah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhah.
Told in dinahs voice, the red tent reveals the traditions of ancient womanhood and family honour. Known as simply the object of her brothers wrath, dinah. All 141 characters in the red tent are listed by chapter with character descriptions. In fact, shes raped by him when she visits the city 34.
The story says that dinah was raped by an egyptian prince. Dinah sometimes curses peopleand these people seem to feel the consequences. The name dinah was subsequently used for dolls and other images of black women. Men got the whole bible, and all women got was this red tent. The red tent quotes showing of 102 if you want to understand any woman you must first ask about her mother and then listen carefully. At the end of the novel, benjamins daughter tells dinah that her name. I read this book as a woman, a mother, a human being, and dinahs story resonated with me as such. In the bible, dinah s life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the book of genesis that are about her father, jacob, and his dozen sons.
The red tent by anita diamant 1997 her name is dinah. The life of laura ingalls wilder tribute little house on the prairie tv show theme song duration. The red tent of the title refers to the tent the women of the tribe remain in while experiencing their time of the month or while giving birth. Dinahs voice, anita diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. Dinah is the main character of the red tent, by anita diamant.
They love dinah and give her gifts that are to sustain her through a hardworking youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Told in dinahs voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. For instance, in the red tent, dinahs four mothers toss names back and forth and then leah whispers the name into the infants ear, almost as if she has a say in her name dinah. The red tent 20th anniversary edition anita diamant macmillan.
She ends up making a few more friends, but the gist of it is that the sons of jacob were seeking revenge for dinah s rape. Rachel dinahs aunt, leah dinahs mother, and later dinah herself, all become midwives, helping other women who are delivering their babies. The rape of dinah genesis, chapter 34 was recounted not by dinah, but by her brothers. Mar 12, 2020 as dinah and her four mothers, leah, rachel, bilhah, and zilpah, undergo their monthly cycles, they band together in the red tent, a place where they learn to treasure the processes of womanhood. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. First and foremost, the red tent 1997 is a novel by anita diamant that retells the biblical rape story of dinah. The book s title refers to the tent in which women of jacob. The red tent is a fictional yet thoroughly researched firstperson account of the life of dinah, the only daughter of biblical patriarch jacob who is. Using midrashic license, she swaps mothers, giving naphtali to leah rather.
Dec 07, 2014 the red tent alters and expands on the story of dinah from the book of genesis in the bible. Told in dinahs voice, the novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. It begins with the story of dinah s mothersleah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhahthe four wives of jacob. Dinahs mother and aunts shared jacob as their husband. The cover of anita diamants extraordinary book reads, the red tent. The red tent novel originally did not have a great impact on womens lives. The book is presented through dinahs eyes and those of the women around her.
The red tent my mothers stories, chapter 1 summary. The red tent puts down stakes as lifetime miniseries. In the bible her fate is merely hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the verses of the book of genesis that deal with jacob and his dozen sons. While the story is the story from genesis 34, it is different in many important ways. I have read the red tent without any substantial biblical knowledge, so i did not see those biblical references the author built dinahs story upon.
The red tent book hillsborough county public library. A summary of part two, chapters 78 in anita diamants the red tent. In the red tent, anita diamant brings this fascinating biblical character to vivid life. The first twohour episode premiered on lifetime on december 7, 2014. The red tent book lawrence public library bibliocommons. Dinah tells her story the red tent rebecca ferguson. Men got the whole bible, and all women got was this red tent lifetime has made the story of jacobs wives and daughters into a twopart miniseries. This study guide consists of approximately 43 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the red tent. Told in dinahs voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoil of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. She begins with the story of her mothers, jacobs wives. Were dinah s brothers excluding simon and levi at fault for the murders at shechem. Dinahs time in the red tent creates some of her most treasured childhood memories.
She spends her childhood in the womens tents, learning their private stories and rituals. The red tent is a novel by anita diamant, published in 1997 by wyatt books for st. Dec 06, 2014 men got the whole bible, and all women got. Leah, dinahs mother, is one of jacobs four wives all sisters. In the bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the book of genesis. Little house on the prairie tribute videos by me recommended for you. The red tent is the story of jacobs daughter, dinah, and jacobs four wives, who all served as dinahs mother at some point in time. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the red tent and what it means. The red tent 2005 read online free book by anita diamant. Empower yourself, take hold of your narrative, tell your story through dinah s.
As lonely years pass for dinah after her son has gone off to school, it is meryt who convinces her to renew her practice as a midwife. In this and other ways, diamant gives women power over their lives, although it is not without consequences, she. In the red tent, author anita diamant recreates the popular biblical story of jacob by giving a voice to his only daughter, dinah. The series is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by anita diamant.
Told in dinah s voice, anita diamant imagines the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhoodthe world of the red tent. Told in dinah s voice, the red tent reveals the traditions of ancient womanhood and family honour. With so little detail given about dinah in the bible, diamant decides to play loose with. Dinah is the voice of all women and a pen name under which you can tell your own story, without fear. A book club friend recommended it, and i picked it up. In the bible, dinahs story is only briefly mentioned. The roles of daughters, wives and mothers is explored through the red tent, where women pass their menstrual days in fellowship with. Anyway, in genesis, dinah s brothers basically save her by murdering the men of shechem, and they bring her back to camp where they protect her. Which mother seemed to be the biggest influence on dinah. The red tent is very loosely based on the story of dinah in genesis, and it is a book that is very easy to read. The red tent book central rappahannock regional library. The red tent alters and expands on the story of dinah from the book of genesis in the bible.
Dinah the only surviving daughter of jacob, and the protagonist of the novel. The red tent by anita diamant book club discussion. Then, shalem pretends to be in love with her, and thats how his marriage proposal arises. Dinah was the youngest of jacobs 12 children, and his. Gertel is a retired pulpit rabbi who has been film and tv critic for the national jewish post and opinion for 35 years. It begins with the story of dinahs mothersleah, rachel, zilpah, and bilhahthe four wives of jacob. A summary of part two, chapter 6 in anita diamants the red tent. Dinah remembers sitting in the red tent with her mother and aunts, gossiping about local events and taking care of domestic duties between visits to.
Anyway, in genesis, dinahs brothers basically save her by murdering the men of shechem, and they bring her back to camp where they protect her. Meryt is a kind woman, twenty years older than dinah, who becomes dinahs closest friend and confidante in egypt. In the bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the book of genesis that are about her father, jacob, and his dozen sons. Mar 29, 2002 dinah s relationship with her mother and her three aunts is at the novels heart and gives it its name. Sep 19, 2019 dinah is the main character of the red tent, by anita diamant. But the women cherished dinah, the only daughter in their sea of sons. When i was fifteen years old, my mother s book club read the red tent by anita diamant.
Dinah was the youngest of jacobs 12 children, and his only daughter, but her role in the bible was so. To understand dinahs life journey in and out of the red tent, hearing the experiences of her many mothers is vital. Over the course of the novel, dinah grows from being a lively but passive girl attached to her mothers to one who an independent, active agent in her own life. In the new york times bestseller, the red tent, anita diamant brings this fascinating biblical character to vivid life. Diamant says she is no fan of violence but was pleased with how the twoparter handles a particularly disturbing sequence, straight from the pages of genesis as well as her book, in which dinahs brothers take bloody revenge on the canaanite prince and all the male members of his tribe after the prince rapes dinah, or, as the red tent. A beautifully crafted book, based on the biblical tribes of jacob and his sons. The red tent is the story of jacobs daughter, dinah, and jacobs four wives, who all served as dinah s mother at some point in time.
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