Irony of survival
"The Shawl" is a story of survival, not only of Magda but all the Jews who were tortured, physically and mentally, and massacred by the Nazis. "I think it's Magda's book, I think it's the book belonging to the race, the ghost, the hope, the wish, the lost, lamented child," Ozick stated. While Magda is living, her survival is made possible by her shawl, her "magical" shawl. Rosa uses the shawl as a weapon for her baby's survival. But it is ironic that the same shawl which she used to shield her baby could not save her from the long-awaited death. Instead, Rosa uses it to suppress her pain.
