The Shawl Symbolism
Symbolism in the Shawl In the short story "The Shawl," the author Cynthia Ozick uses many symbols and imagery to illustrate the brutality of concentration camps during World War II. What makes the shawl unique from other stories that have chronicled the horrors of Nazism, is the way Cynthia Ozick bring the characters to life. She never directly says the characters are in a concentration camp. Instead, she describes the color of the character's hair as being "nearly as yellow as the star sewn in Rosa's coat." Ozick's powerful yet distinctive simple language helps the reader visualize the heart wrenching expedition the characters must venture through. The shawl represents several diverse elements in the story.(McCool,1)
Throughout the story …show more content…
Magda bundled in the magical shawl represents Life. After reading the relationship between the baby and the shawl you experience feelings of warmth and imagination. Rosa, who advances to a stage where she no longer experiences hunger and becomes "a floating angel" represents spirit. Stella, weakened by the physical torture, becomes so cold that it has seeped into her hardened heart. She represents death. Metaphorically, when Rosa or spirit's attention is drawn away, death, jealous of the warmth of life, retrieves the life's source, the shawl. Once the life of Magda, the shawl, was taken away she was instantly discovered and her life brutally extinguished. Both Rosa and Magda lives are consistently symbolic throughout the story. Rosa is given characteristics of those of an angel. For instance, when Ozick describes Rosa's walk on the march she says …show more content…
Magda experiences three days of magical life, and then death. Rosa, Stella and Magda's situation seems to worsen throughout the story. Although their lives seem grim and hopeless there are moments with sparks of hope that surface.The turning point of the story occurs when Stella steals the shawl and Magda becomes exposed. Stella's excuse for stealing the shawl was that she was "cold." Not only is the theft in itself cruel the shawl was the only warmth and comfort Magda had. Once it was taken away from her it forced the only cry from her fragile body. Ironically, the cry draws not Rosa's attention but that of the gurads. What should bring love instead brings
Throughout the story …show more content…
Magda bundled in the magical shawl represents Life. After reading the relationship between the baby and the shawl you experience feelings of warmth and imagination. Rosa, who advances to a stage where she no longer experiences hunger and becomes "a floating angel" represents spirit. Stella, weakened by the physical torture, becomes so cold that it has seeped into her hardened heart. She represents death. Metaphorically, when Rosa or spirit's attention is drawn away, death, jealous of the warmth of life, retrieves the life's source, the shawl. Once the life of Magda, the shawl, was taken away she was instantly discovered and her life brutally extinguished. Both Rosa and Magda lives are consistently symbolic throughout the story. Rosa is given characteristics of those of an angel. For instance, when Ozick describes Rosa's walk on the march she says …show more content…
Magda experiences three days of magical life, and then death. Rosa, Stella and Magda's situation seems to worsen throughout the story. Although their lives seem grim and hopeless there are moments with sparks of hope that surface.The turning point of the story occurs when Stella steals the shawl and Magda becomes exposed. Stella's excuse for stealing the shawl was that she was "cold." Not only is the theft in itself cruel the shawl was the only warmth and comfort Magda had. Once it was taken away from her it forced the only cry from her fragile body. Ironically, the cry draws not Rosa's attention but that of the gurads. What should bring love instead brings