'What Profit for Us?'

Remembering the Story of Joseph

Barbara Green author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University Press of America

Published:24th Oct '96

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'What Profit for Us?' cover

This book offers a fresh reading of the biblical story of Joseph, alert to, and explicit about current literary methodology. Joseph is sold south by traders; then his brothers must go down to barter for food; and finally all his kin relocate in Egypt to survive famine. The relentless pull of the characters into various literal and figurative pits mingles with their struggles to emerge. The major mystery presented to both characters and readers—who is responsible for the descent of Joseph into Egypt?—develops into a much deeper question articulated by the brothers about the significance of the journey: 'What profit for us?' The conversation among characters is the repeated effort to interpret and thus understand, even control, the details of the descents so that survival is possible. The significance of the Joseph story for characters and readers is in the re-enacting, re-playing, remembering, re-interpreting of the events so that they can be grasped and integrated. The characters' strategies become a model for what the readers must do with the text.

Green's beautifully crafted analysis, enhanced by detailed and thorough notes, is highly engaging and provocative. It leaves one with a deep appreciation of the artistic design inherent in the story of Joseph. * Catholic Biblical Quarterly *
Here is a refreshing narratological reading of the Joseph narrative...a wealth of particulars and fresh angles of perception reside in her detailed reading of the text. -- Michael Kolarick, S.J., Regis College * Theological Studies *
"Green maps an amazing web of thematic connections between the dreams and the surrounding narratives...[Green's work is] superior to previous literary readings of the Joseph story." -- William A. Tooman, University of Wisconsin * Hebrew Studies *
...contains an excellent introduction to the basic principles of narratology...insightful and provacative. * The Bible Today *
...contains an excellent introduction to the basic principles of narratology...insightful and provacative. * The Bible Today *
Green's beautifully crafted analysis, enhanced by detailed and thorough notes, is highly engaging and provocative. It leaves one with a deep appreciation of the artistic design inherent in the story of Joseph. * Catholic Biblical Quarterly *
"Here is a refreshing narratological reading of the Joseph narrative...a wealth of particulars and fresh angles of perception reside in her detailed reading of the text." -- Michael Kolarick, S.J., Regis College * Theological Studies *

ISBN: 9780761805113

Dimensions: 215mm x 134mm x 12mm

Weight: 272g

240 pages