Read in Literature of the Western World Volume II by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt o Cynthia Ozick- pp. 2013-15.
The Shawl pp. 2016-45.
View PowerPoint Lectures: "The Shawl" by Cynthia Ozick
Listen to The Big Read audio guide, "An Introduction to The Shawl by Cynthia Ozick.
Literary Analysis --Write a 1 to 2 page essay on the symbolism of the shawl in Ozick's story.. Use good essay form. Five paragraphs are standard-an introduction, three development paragraphs, and a conclusion. Set your paper up according to MLA format. (See course Resources.)
Discuss: What does the shawl symbolize to Rosa? To Magda? To Stella? What does it symbolize at the end of the story when it is wrapped around the phone?
Directions: After reading the assigned works, answer the following questions in one to two paragraphs. Support your thinking with examples from the text. Use complete sentences and spell check your work.
1) What crisis leads to Rosa's relocating to Florida? What is the underlying reason for Rosa's breakdown? Why is this a source of tension between Rosa and Stella?
2) Why is Rosa so upset when she loses her underwear at the laundromat? Describe her journey to find it. What does she find at the end of her search?
3) What does Rosa mean when she tells Persky, "Your Warsaw isn't my Warsaw"? How are their backgrounds different? How are they similar? How does he show her that he respects her for who she is?
4) A great writer can be the voice of a generation. What kind of voice does Cynthia Ozick create in The Shawl? Does this story speak about more than one woman's personal trauma? What can we learn about the importance of memory and history from reading this novella? Human dignity? The will to live?