The Shawl - 1050 Words

â€Å"The Shawl† â€Å"Don’t you think she lifted her shawl and flew?† Even though people can’t really fly, if one puts their mind to it, it just might be possible to figuratively take flight. However, without putting mind, body, and soul into it, it’s completely impossible. The perception of ‘I can do it’ directly correlates with the actual act of doing the impossible. Often times one’s attitudes, actions, and beliefs are influenced by those who have raised and mentored them. In the short story, â€Å"The Shawl,† Louise Erdrich declares that reality is dictated by perception and the only way to change one’s reality is to alter their perception. Aanakwad’s husband, the grandfather, had a negative perception of Aanakwad, which created a negative†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’d do some damage, I was sure of it. I’d teach him not to mess with me. I wanted to smack the living shit out of him. Kill him, if I must. † He refused to fall into the same trap and wicked pattern as his father. He was finally going to stand up for himself and create a life for himself and his brother and sister that was not constantly ruled by the glass being half full. He definitely had every right to be mad at his father, since his father was anything but that. However, it was hard to be mad at him when he didn’t even bother to fight back. â€Å"Suddenly, he was my father again. And when I knelt down next to him, I was his son.† The father put all the ugly perception behind him and ignored the past, in order to finally emerge with a sober voice. Both the son and the father came to the realization that there might be another way to interpret the story. â€Å"Did you know I had a sister once?† This line by the father is presented in such a way that the boy is given a chance to interpret it, form his own opinion, instead of having a negative one shoved down his throat like it was repulsive tasting cough syrup. A brighter reality emerged once a broader perception was taken on Aanakwad and the sister. â€Å"Some get away, like my brother and sister, married now and living quietly down the road. And me, to some degree, though I prefer to live alone. And even my father, who recently found a woman.† Releasing the shawl was a process of cleansing that allowed theShow MoreRelatedWho Introduced Innovations in the Kashmiri Shawl882 Words   |  3 Pagesintroduced innovations in the Kashmiri Shawl? After briefly discussing the genesis of the Kashmiri Shawls we will now try to explore another main aspect of this study that is who really transformed Kashmiri shawl industry. All the historical chronicles and travelogues have overstated the role of the Kings in the development of the Kashmiri shawls. Nowhere is the role of the local communities delineated. Almost all historians and scholars who have worked on shawls have consensus on the â€Å"fact† that allRead MoreEssay about The Function of the Shawl in Ozicks The Shawl1111 Words   |  5 PagesThe Function of the Shawl in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† Suffering becomes a way of life for Magda, Stella and Rosa, as they struggle to survive during the Holocaust. During these trying times, some cling to ideals and dreams, while others find unusual vessels of hope – like the shawl – to perdure in their austere living conditions. Although the shawl becomes a source of conflict between Magda, Stella and Rosa in this narrative, it also serves as a pivotal force and a motivational factor. In Ozick’sRead MoreEssay about The Shawl591 Words   |  3 Pagestwo static characters whose lack of development throughout the story emphasizes the theme of overwhelming hopelessness. In The Shawl Rosa, her infant daughter Magda, and her fourteen year old companion Stella are Jews interned in a concentration camp during World War II. Amazingly the infant Magda has survived with her mother, hidden and protected in a shawl. If the Nazis ever learn of her existence she is certain to be killed. The Setting of this story sets the reader up for a sad story. JustRead MoreThe Shawl, By Cynthia Ozick1319 Words   |  6 Pagesleader of Germany, thought the Jews were the reason that Germany lost World War I (Jews in Nazi Germany- History Learning Site). Hitler blamed them for almost all of Germany’s problems and he wanted to exterminate the entire Jewish population. â€Å"The Shawl†, written by Cynthia Ozick, tells one of the many horrifying stories from the Holocaust. The story has three main characters: the young mother Rosa, her baby Magda, and her fourteen-year-old niece Stella. They were victims of the Holocaust who hadRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Shawl1882 Words   |  8 PagesIn the short story The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick, we are introduced to three characters who are facing death surrounding them in a concentration camp. We are introduced to Rosa, Stella and Magda. Rosa is the mother in the story of Magda, Magda is a young baby whose odds of survival is not very good. We are also introduced to Stella, who is a demon in the mind of Rosa. Stella represents the life that Rosa once had, one where she did not have a child and did not have to put someone’s life before themRead More Cynthia Ozicks The Shawl Essay2144 Words   |  9 PagesCynthia Ozicks The Shawl The plot of this story does not adhere to the conventional plot line. I feel that the Shawl’s plot came to early. Magda dies to early in the novel. I would have wanted her to be living just a little while longer so that we can build some sort of relationship with her. In my opinion, all we know of this fifteen-month-old baby is what Rosa tells of her daughter. Magda never lives long enough to see life through the eye of the reader. This takes away from a conventionalRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of The Shawl By Cynthia Ozick701 Words   |  3 Pagesand Loss of Humanity in Ozick’s â€Å"The Shawl† It is human nature to strive for comfort, to seek ease in a burdensome situation. When deprived of this sense of comfort, as demonstrated by Cynthia Ozick in â€Å"The Shawl†, it is through the suffering that ensues in which humanity is lost. This is made evident in her sparse writing style, the duality of the setting, and the use of illusionary symbolism. Ozick exhibits a degree of sparsity in the style of which â€Å"The Shawl† is written that mirrors the dehumanizingRead More Comparing the Use of Setting in The Shawl and The Portable Phonograph859 Words   |  4 PagesUse of Setting in The Shawl and The Portable Phonograph  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In literature, setting is often used to enhance or develop characters, provide realism, and create a mood or atmosphere for a story (Roberts 256). Two short stories, The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick and Walter Van Tillburg Clark’s The Portable Phonograph explore victims of war in the vivid settings that the authors have created. Although both works are vague as to geographic setting and place in time, the authors’ detailedRead MoreMotherhood And Symbolism In Cynthia Ozicks The Shawl794 Words   |  4 Pagesholocaust are conveyed well in the short story â€Å"The Shawl† as the author, Cynthia Ozick illustrates the horrific battle of motherhood and strife for survival they faced. Rosa, Ozick’s main character experiences an internal battle of nurturing her infant Magda and following her motherly instincts or fighting for her own survival. Magda another crucial character grips onto the ropes of life through the threads of the shawl but when she loses h er shawl she loses her life showing the harsh realities ofRead More`` The Shawl `` : A Devastating Story Centered On The Holocaust1113 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Shawl† is a very devastating story centered on the Holocaust. It is a story of determination, survival, and sacrifice. It is based on the experiences of Rosa, Stella the niece, and Magda; Rosa’s daughter. Rosa lives to tell her story of the events surrounding her daughter’s death. What we have learned about the Holocaust, especially the violence makes the story realistic, tragic and compelling at the same time. The shawl becomes a symbol of survival, protection, and comfort for all three characters