Vayeishev

1) Sale of Joseph
2) The challenges of Judah and Joseph
a) Judah and Tamar
b) Joseph in the house of Potiphar

3) Joseph in jail

Section 1 starts out with Yaakov as the protagonist, but Yosef quickly moves to center stage. This is reminscent of P' Toldos, which was introduced as Toldos Yitzchak, but was actually the transition parsha. Hence, perhaps Vayeishev, also, can be considered a transition, from Yaakov to his sons. If this is so, we are left with Lech Lecha and Vayeira being the parshiyos of Avraham, Chayei Sarah and Toldos being the parshiyos of the transitions from Avraham to Yitzchak and from Yitzchak to Yaakov, and Vayeitzei and Vayishlach being the parshiyos of Yaakov, the former describing his flight from Eisav and the latter describing his triumphant return to the land. This section is the only episode describing Yosef during which he is neither a slave, nor a ruler.

Section 2a begins an entirely different storyline - each of the first 6 verses introduces a new significant character - Chirah, Shua, Er, Onan, Shelah, and Tamar, none of whom play a rule anywhere else in the Chumash. Even Yehudah being the protagonist is a new phenomenon, although it may be repeated in P' Vayigash, depending on the angle that we use to view the story.

Section 2b may shed light on the insertion of Section 2a, as, while 2b uses the same protagonist, 2a uses the same setting as section 1. See my post on HaProzdor regarding how the two stories are connected.

Section 3 is the story of Yosef's aborted rise from his downfall. He again deals with dreams, which he had not done since he was a free man, but is forgotten at the end of the story, and the theme of dreams does not translate into elevation. At least not at the end of this week's sedra.