The Red Tent Analyitical Essay

Analytical Essay
Dinah envisions her life to be an accumulation of the lives of her mothers. They all were enormous influences to Dinah’s character and ultimately her adult life. Being the only daughter, Dinah was spoiled with attention from her mothers. Being raised by four mothers molded Dinah’s perception of the type of woman she wanted to become. Each mother instilled traits and characteristics in Dinah that would blossom into her adulthood. Her biological mother, Leah, taught Dinah the responsibility of being a woman. Leah’s life was filled with bearing children and being the true matriarch of the family. Her strength and vigor made an immense impact on Dinah, showing her that being a little arrogant and stubborn is not always a bad thing. Leah, Dinah’s most beautiful aunt, opened Dinah’s eyes to what will most likely be her profession as an adult. Dinah spent a lot of time in the women’s’ red tent where she watched Leah help deliver babies in their family. Over time, Leah gradually taught Dinah the craft of midwifery and what an honor it was to help bring life into the world. Zilpah, Dinah’s third aunt, instilled a sense of spirituality and mysticism in Dinah. Zilpah’s art of storytelling charmed Dinah with stories of gods and goddesses, introducing spirituality to Dinah’s thoughts. On the trip to Canaan, Dinah and her family encounter a river that they must cross. Dinah is absolutely enchanted by the water and naturally feels drawn to it. This is a foreshadow that Dinah will incorporate water into her adulthood, most likely by living by a body of water. Bilhah, Dinah’s fourth mother, taught Dinah the importance of listening and self-appreciation. Bilhah is the most timid and under appreciated mother in the family, yet she shows Dinah that hard work and determination comes from within and not from the praise of others. As a whole, the roles of the women in their family influences Dinah by showing her that a husband should rightfully be respectful and