The Red Tent

When was the last time you read a good novel? By good I mean a novel that has the ability to move you, put you in the shoes of another, and keep you on your feet. I rarely read and I had to read this for a project I was doing. At first I wasn’t really interested in reading this book; however after the first chapter of the novel it changed. Instead of reading it just for a project for school, I was reading for entertainment as well.

This novel was written by Anita Diamant and was a best seller. Los Angeles Times wrote “"By giving a voice to Dinah, one of the silent female characters in Genesis, the novel has struck a chord with women who may have felt left out of biblical history. It celebrates mothers and daughters and the mysteries of the life cycle." Another wrote that The Red Tent is what the bible would turn out to be like if it was written by a woman.

The story is based on Dinah and Jacob’s wives from the Genesis. The bible only briefly describes Dinah and her mothers; however The Red Tent covers Dinah side of the story. Dinah is the only daughter to Jacob and Leah, her mother. Dinah is very close to her mother and her aunties.

The Red Tent is a tent where the women go to in order to attend births and spread stories of goddesses and sacred songs and blessings. Because Dinah is the only female she has benefits of being with her mothers’ when they celebrate a woman’s menstrual cycle. According to the religion and culture at the time, when a girl goes through her menstrual cycle it is a sign of a girl’s crossing into womanhood and is sacred. The women also worship Sumerian gods and goddesses, mostly goddesses though. At the same time, Jacob spreads his religion of Judaism to his sons and other males in the camp.

If you are a fan of books like Of Mice and Men, Searching for David’s Heart, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, 1000 Splendid Suns, The Great Gatsby, The Notebook or A Prayer for Owen Meany then The Red Tent will not disappoint. Honestly, the book played out like a movie to me. During some scenes in the book it was overwhelming enough for me to start hearing music in the background; most notably Hans Zimmer’s and Lisa Gerrard’s Now We Are Free song that seemed to have been a major hit in Gladiator.

I’ve learned something important from the story. You should cherish your life and memories of family and friends. Your family helped raise you and have been supporting you through most of your life. From the day you were being held and kissed to the day when you first went to school to now. Your friends are your friends because they share a special bond with you. There are times when you fight with your family and friends but you should remember the happy moments with your family and friends.

“Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived.” -Captain Jean-Luc Picard