Symbol: The Shawl
The shawl symbolizes numerous things. First, it is a symbol of the maternal, for it nourishes Magda, keeps her alive, and provides her with comfort. Second, it symbolizes a burial shroud. She is wound up in it, hidden, silent. Critic Billie Jones notes, "Stella wanted the shawl, but she was not part of the same magical, maternal connection—that maternal bond—that linked Rosa and Magda; she simply wanted it to warm herself. And yet, her desire for the shawl might also symbolize her desire for the intimate connection that Rosa and Magda share."
Motif: Magda's Blue Eyes
Nothing about Magda is vividly described except for her blue eyes. Within the text, Magda’s eyes are mentioned several times. First, the narrator describes “eyes blue as air . . . you could think she was one of their babies”; this fact suggests that she must be the daughter of one of the Nazi soldiers. Also, the “blueness of her eyes” is studied time after time by Rosa and sometimes by Stella. Her eyes become an object of interest; they are what draw attention to her, standing for the source of her inner power: “Magda was quiet, but her eyes were horribly alive, like blue tigers.” Comparison with a tiger gives Magda's eyes even more power, as tigers are animals symbolizing energy, power, and protection. And with these eyes of her “she watched like a tiger. She guarded her shawl.” This not only shows how determined Magda is to live but also shows how much the shawl is of value to her. She "guards" the shawl because she loves it and it "protects" her.
Symbol: Star
The yellow Star of David is known as a sign of Jewish designation. They were to wear it on their clothes to indicate who they were. For the Nazis it was a symbol of the person's inferior status, but for the Jews themselves it was more complicated. Though the Star of David was a meaningful icon of their religion, it was corrupted by the Nazis and became a symbol of degradation, trauma, and isolation.
