Imagery and personification are essential literary tools utilized in fictional literature, especially in “The Shawl” by Cynthia Ozick. “The Shawl” is unique in the sense that the exposition does not directly state the setting, but rather expose it gradually through the use of imagery. The grim setting is foreshadowed by gruesome imagery which instills a depressing and dismal mood in the reader. Through the vivid imagery of Stella’s body and Madga’s physical appearance, along with the personification of the electric fence, Ozick creates a work that both intrigues and touches the reader.
