Literature Circle’s Understanding of Race and Race Relations in The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf

Abstract

The exploration and depiction of race and race relations in literature, particularly through the documentation of historical events, is crucial in fostering dialogue and understanding among readers. Despite the sensitivity of this topic, literature serves as a pivotal platform for learning and comprehending the complexities of race and related issues. In the Malaysian context, the reluctance of the government to address the 1969 racial riots presents a barrier to understanding race relations. Thus, restricting the means of understanding our country's past history of race and race relations. Hence, this case study aimed to explore how the literary text ‘The Weight of Our Sky’ by Hanna Alkaf addresses the issue of race and race relations in Malaysia to provide a deep understanding of race and race relations among literature circles. This study employed a quantitative research design where convenience sampling was implied to select 67 respondents of TESL undergraduate student-teachers who have read the novel, where a questionnaire instrument adopted and adapted from Assessing Children’s literature; Anti-Defamation League was used. The findings revealed that the novel effectively contributed to a deeper understanding of race and race relations, particularly through its collection, story, character, themes, and setting. These insights are anticipated to underscore the importance of utilizing literature and providing insights on the relevance of using books to facilitate discussions on race and race relations in Malaysia.