Poverty, mysticism, and religiosity of Sumatera Inland communities in Bidadari-Bidadari Syurga

Abstract

The description of Indonesian society's reality is frequently discussed in Indonesian novels since earlier times. The description itself is commonly discussed in the form of poverty, social conditions, and religiosity in Indonesian society as comprehensively illustrated in Bidadari-Bidadari Syurga novel composed by Tere Liye. This novel portrays the struggle of a brother named Laisa to fulfill the needs of his family, particularly for the school fees of his younger siblings along with all their social problems. The background of this novel thus becomes the attention of the researchers. This study aims to analyze Tere Liye's world view of Sumatra interior communities and to find out the phenomena or events happen in Lahambay Valley that becomes the background of the novel. The theory employed in this research is Lucian Goldmann's genetic structuralism theory in an attempt to reveal the genetic relationship between the writer and the background of his writing. This study used the descriptive qualitative method. Based on the relationship between the figures and their relationship with their environment, a number of Tere Liye’s views on Sumatera interior communities in the 1970s are clearly illustrated. These views are; poverty, education, mysticism, and religiosity. Hence, Bidadari-Bidadari Syurga novel by Tere Liye is a depiction of the reality of the author’s life that makes him write the novel

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