Through "The Shawl," Ozick explores several themes that are both timely and timeless. One of the most significant is the nature of humanity and how it can be corrupted by ideology and circumstance. Rosa's character serves as a chilling example of how ordinary people can become complicit in extraordinary evil.

Ozick's writing style in "The Shawl" is characterized by its directness, simplicity, and elegance. The story is structured as a nested narrative, with Rosa's account of the war embedded within Laura's narrative. This structure creates a sense of layering and complexity, mirroring the complexities of human experience and memory.