Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors
used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Teraphim
The goddesses of Dinah’s mothers are represented by the
teraphim and symbolize the difference between the religion practiced
by Jacob’s wives and the religion practiced by Jacob. Jacob has
received the word of the One God from his father and grandfather,
and his religion recognizes only the one deity, with animal sacrifices
and practices, such as the circumcision of baby boys. This new religion does
not fit the lives of his wives, who have practiced their rituals
for their goddesses under the moon for many years. They fulfill
their religious duties to his god to his face, but under the cover
of the red tent they consider holy only their teraphim and secret
rites. They take care not to offend Jacob with their practice, keeping
it out of sight, knowing that he cannot condone such practices by
his wives. When he learns of Dinah’s initiation into womanhood,
he smashes the teraphim, in essence forcing his wives to end their
practices and convert entirely to his religion. The loss of her
beloved goddesses is too much, and Zilpah dies.
The Red Tent
As its title indicates, the red tent is one of the most
important and recurring images of the novel and symbolizes the private
and magical world of women. It is the red tent in which each of
the children in Dinah’s family are born, and it is the red tent
where each girl becomes a woman. But it is more than just a place
of birth and maturity; it is also a sacred gathering place for women.
In the red tent, the women sequester themselves for several days
each month, taking time out from their daily duties as mothers and
wives to spoil themselves with cakes and rest upon the straw. It
is in the tent that they forge, break, and rebuild their bonds to
one another, as occurs between Leah and Rachel. Outside of the tent,
men rule society and the families. But inside the tent there are
only women, and therefore women make the rules. They share special
songs and rites that only the sisters of the tent are privy to.
In a story that uncovers the bonds between women, it is fitting
that so much of the action occurs in the red tent.
The Midwives’ Bricks
The midwives’ bricks, which women stand on as they are
giving birth, represent the strength and endurance exhibited by
women of ancient times while in labor. In Dinah’s world, women were
not attended to by physicians during childbirth and would consider themselves
lucky to have a skilled midwife. Without epidurals, antibiotics,
or antiseptics, as many babies died as lived, often taking their
mothers with them. Leah, Bilhah, and Rachel all lose babies to miscarriage
and stillbirth, despite having the benefits of Inna’s midwifing
skills. In each birthing scene, as the women prepare to push, they
mount the bricks for support and positioning, symbolizing the gathering
of their courage as they prepare to stare death in the face. Diamant
chillingly details the strength of these women, portraying how they
were able to consistently return to the red tent and stand on the
bricks, not knowing if they would walk out.
