When initially reading Genesis by Robert Alter, it is difficult not to take a subjective approach. One could probably tell the entire creation story without having read the bible, simply due to the fact it has been told time after time throughout our known existence. This essay will present an in-depth, objective view of the first nine chapters. Chapter one begins by portraying God as the creator of universe as it goes into quite some detail about the creation process. During which time “God said, “”Let there be light”””(Genesis 1.1-2). Who was God talking to when he said this? Later in the chapter God can be perceived as a father figure after creating a human in his image. This is given a new meaning in chapter two as God now “fashioned the human” (Genesis 2. 7). The author of chapter two describes God as a craftsman instead of a father as Alter so eloquently put,
‘blowing life into nostrils and building woman from a rib” (Alter 7).
According to the notes by Alter, the word adam doesn’t not suggest maleness, but rather a lack of gender (Alter 5). As mentioned in class, ancient Jews put quite the emphasis on a male dominant society, which could help explain how the text could be viewed in a subjective manner to suite this model society (Stewart Class Discussion).…show more content… This is seen when God says ““From every tree in the garden you may surely eat. But from the tree knowledge, good and evil, you shall not eat, for on the day you eat from it, you are doomed to die”” (Genesis 2. 16-17). Another interesting psychological trait that begins to emerge in God at this point is the borderline psychotic tendency to kill humans with little regard as we read in the last line of that last verse. We see this again when it comes to the story of Noah’s Ark at the end of chapter