Representations of Identity and Dimensions of Resistance in the Novel “Mask the Color of the Sky” A Cultural Narrative Approach

Abstract

In his novel Mask the Colour of the Sky, Bassem Kandaji addresses the issues of identity and estrangement in one’s homeland through the character of Noor AlShahadi, a displaced person from one of the camps near Ramallah. Through the juxtaposition of two identities — the Palestinian identity of Noor Al-Shahadi and the Israeli identity of Or Shapira — he raises questions about identity and place, examining how occupation can alter destinies, places, and identities. This research paper aims to analyse the representations of identity in the novel, highlighting how writing can serve as a form of cultural resistance. It does so by examining Noor’s representations of her identity, her relationships with other characters, and her interactions with time and place. This leads to the following question: How are the features of identity represented in Mask the Colour of the Sky, and what is the significance of cultural resistance in confronting occupation? To answer this, the study is divided into an introduction setting the scene and two sections. The first section will discuss the concept of identity, its elements and dimensions. The second (applied) section will demonstrate the representations of identity in Mask the Colour of the Sky. We will present these representations and their political, cultural, religious and social dimensions, and conclude with the results of the study. Additionally, we employed a cultural narrative approach primarily aimed at uncovering the text’s structure and semantic worlds, attempting to capture its subtle nuances rather than its overt declarations.