39 pages • 1 hour read
The Shawl
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Book Brief
69
Novel • Fiction
Holocaust • 1940s
1989
Vintage Books
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick consists of two interrelated narratives: "The Shawl" and "Rosa." In "The Shawl," Rosa Lublin is sent to a concentration camp with her niece Stella and infant daughter Magda, who survives longer with the help of a shawl. In "Rosa," set 40 years later, Rosa lives in Miami, haunted by memories of Magda, and meets an old man named Simon Persky, leading her to confront her past. This book includes descriptions of the Holocaust and its traumatic effects on survivors.
Dark
Unnerving
Melancholic
Mysterious
Reviews & Readership
4,838 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick is widely praised for its poignant prose and powerful narrative, capturing the harrowing experiences of Holocaust survivors. Critics appreciate Ozick’s skillful storytelling and emotional depth. However, some find the brevity of the work limits character development. Overall, it remains a compelling and moving read.
Who Should Read The Shawl?
A reader who appreciates the profound exploration of the Holocaust's emotional and psychological scars found in The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick would likely be drawn to works such as Night by Elie Wiesel and Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally. Ideal for those who seek harrowing yet poignant narratives of suffering and resilience.
4,838 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Stella
Stella
Stella is Rosa's 14-year-old niece in "The Shawl," struggling with the harsh realities of life in the concentration camp and marked by jealousy towards Magda. In the novella, she is portrayed as a financially supportive but strained presence in Rosa's life.
Magda
Magda
Magda is Rosa's baby daughter, characterized by her striking Aryan features and tragic fate in "The Shawl." She remains part of her mother's life in the novella as a persistent memory and symbol of Rosa's enduring grief.
Simon Persky
Simon Persky
An elderly man introduced in the novella, Simon Persky meets Rosa in a laundromat and attempts to inject some optimism into her life despite her dour outlook and resistance to his overtures.
Dr. James W. Tree
Dr. James W. Tree
A clinical social pathologist, Dr. Tree seeks to study Rosa for his research into the psychological aspects of those who endured life in Nazi concentration camps, inadvertently provoking her ire with his academic curiosity.
The Shawl was originally published as a short story in 1980 in The New Yorker, and it was later combined with Ozick's short story "Rosa" to form the book The Shawl in 1989.
Cynthia Ozick has received the PEN/Malamud Award for short fiction, and her work, including The Shawl, is celebrated for its powerful narrative style and exploration of complex themes.
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The book The Shawl is often studied in academic settings for its profound themes and has been described as containing some of the most haunting prose in contemporary literature.
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69
Novel • Fiction
Holocaust • 1940s
1989
Vintage Books
Adult
18+ years
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