Gender Quotes in The Red Tent

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

[…] even the men, for whom the babies held as little fascination as cooking stones, would stoop to run a callused hand across her remarkable cheek. (1.1.15)

Gender roles back in Dinah's time were pretty stereotypical: the men didn't pay much attention to daughters. But Rachel wasn't your typical child. Her beauty even as a child made the men stop and stare.

Quote #2

[…] not even Rachel's youth would excuse a girl speaking out when men were addressing one another. (1.1.21)

Gender roles have a huge impact even on children. For a girl to speak out while men are talking is like throwing your Spaghetti-Os at the wall during a dinner party. Why do you think this society is set up this way?

Quote #3

She was half a head taller than most of the men she had ever seen, and she dismissed them all because of it. (1.1.29)

Leah is a big woman, which places her outside of the norm for what a woman should be and look like. So to counter her unusual state, she decides that she'll dismiss any man who is smaller than her. Sounds reasonable.