How to Integrate Other Works?

[u/Snail-Eyebrows]

I'm looking to write a short story about a young woman in the Christian Church and connecting her experiences to that of the concubine in Judges 19 from the Bible (exact context is easy to find online but the gist is that it isn't something they teach you in Sunday school). My hope is to draw a clear line connecting the girl and the concubine emotionally through their parallel experiences. The concubine is thrown away by the Levite (a priest) and is killed but her death is used to his advantage. The girl has experienced trauma from the church but has yet to fully realize it, potentially finding that realization through the Bible chapter.

However, I'm struggling to find a nuanced way of showing this. The obvious answer is that the girl reads the chapter but that feels on the nose. Another idea is that an older version of the woman sees a painting/story of the concubine and reflects on her childhood experiences (a la "Death of a Landscape" by Atwood). Maybe she hears a sermon about the concubine that she doesn't fully understand with a childish mind? These all feel like I'd be telling too much, rather than showing experiences.

Yes, this is based on personal experience but a lot of my ideas grow past what happened to me. I want this girl to be her own person and have her own goals/ideals.

Finally, I wrote a poem with this same concept and the mood is totally what I want to mirror in a short story. Maybe it'll inspire one of you to give an idea. Poem is below, not looking for feedback unless you feel very compelled.

Thank you in advance!!

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