The Artistic Structure of the Book of Esther

The chiastic structure of the Book of Esther serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it highlights the reversal of the events: Haman's plan to exterminate the Jews versus the Jews ultimately controlling their enemies; Secondly, parallels between the two halves of the story indicate the internal processes that the Jews undergo during the course of the narrative, hinting that in fact there is no room for comparison at all.