Reading Response Assignment for
The Red Tent
The Red Tent
- The religious context of Dinah's story is complex. The novel presents Rebecca as an Oracle. Both gods and goddesses are venerated, and the women in Jacob's family celebrate a feminine "coming of age" ceremony. What goddesses do they acknowledge, and why? How does Diamant's portrayal of the religious context change your understanding of the story of Jacob's family?
- Discuss the relationship between Dinah and her four mothers. How does she relate to each one? How do her mothers relate to one another and to their husband? How does this presentation of the polygamous culture of Jacob's family influence the way you will now see the biblical stories about Israel's ancestors?
