The Weight of Our Sky

The Djinn is a direct symbol for OCD, as well as for the stigma associated with mental health struggles in both 1960s Malaysia and still today around the world. As such, the symbol of the Djinn is split into two parts: the Djinn’s words and actions and the origin of the Djinn as a concept. The Djinn’s words and actions are the obsessive thoughts and compulsions that Mel experiences throughout the novel, such as the urge to tap and count in sets of three and the violent images of death and destruction that plague Mel. In these instances, the Djinn is essentially another name for OCD, in which the thoughts and actions Mel feels compelled to enact or obey are the product of her mental health struggles rather than of a malicious spirit. However, the idea of a malicious spirit is more palatable for Mel and her family, allowing them to address the issue of mental health indirectly through a lens that fits in easier with their present worldview.

The Djinn is also a representation of Malaysian society’s reluctance to confront mental health concerns. As noted by Mel, Salmah, and others, most patients struggling with mental health are either confined or lobotomized, neither of which allows for living a normal life.