The Bible is the most well-known and often-read book in the
world. Inside, it contains a variety of stories. Yet amongst the endless pickings,
Anita Diamant - the author of The Red
Tent - has chosen a mere footnote as her story’s plot. The Red Tent tells the story of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. Her
story is not explored far in the Bible, consisting of only a sentence or two.
In her 395 page novel, Anita Diamant strives to portray the entire life of this
forgotten girl. I believe the reason for the misinterpretation of Dinah’s story
is due to the fact that she had no daughters to listen to her story as she did
her mothers. This novel is Dinah’s attempt to set the record straight and pass
on the correct version of events.