BECOMING EUROPEANIZED “NATIVE”
IN ANDREA HIRATA’S
THE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET
A THESIS
Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
to Obtain the Magister Humaniora (M. Hum) Degree
in English Language Studies
Anjar Dwi Astuti Student Number: 106332022
THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
BECOMING EUROPEANIZED NATIVE
IN ANDREA HIRATA S
THE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET
by
Anjar Dwi Astuti Student Number: 106332022
Approved by
Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A (Hons)., Ph.D
A THESIS
BECOMING EUROPEANIZED NATIVE
IN ANDREA HIRATA STHE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET
Presented by
Anjar Dwi Astuti
Student Number: 106332022
Defended before the Thesis Committee
and Declared Acceptable
THESIS COMMITTEE
Chairperson : Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A (Hons).,Ph.D
Secretary : Paulus Sarwoto, M.A.,Ph.D.
Members : 1. Sri Mulyani, M.A.,Ph.D
2. Dr. Mutiara Andalas, SJ.,S.TD
Yogyakarta, 23rdFebruary 2015
The Graduate Program Director
Sanata Dharma University
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
This is to certify that all ideas, phrases, sentences, unless otherwise stated,
are the ideas, phrases, and sentences of the thesis writer. The writer understands
the full consequences including degree cancellation if she took somebody else s
ideas, phrases, or sentences without proper references.
Yogyakarta, February 23th, 2015
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN
PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertandatangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:
Nama : Anjar Dwi Astuti NIM : 106332022
Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:
BECOMING EUROPEANIZED NATIVE
IN ANDREA HIRATA S
THE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Dibuat di Yogyakarta
Pada Tanggal: 23 Februari 2015
Yang menyatakan
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This thesis will not be accomplished without the support of kind and
thoughtful persons. My sincere appreciation goes to my advisor, Novita Dewi,
M.S., M.A. (Hons), Ph.D who always gives me encouragement to the process of
exploring and writing my thesis. Experience of being her student was a powerful
and meaningful learning for me.
My appreciation goes to Father Dr. Mutiara Andalas, S.J., S.TD and Paulus
Sarwoto, M.A., Ph.D as my reviewers and examiners. I also express my gratitude
to Sri Mulyani, M.A., Ph.D for being one of my examiners. I thanked them for
spending time to read, give critical review and important suggestions for the
progress of my thesis.
I also would like to express my gratitude to all brilliant lecturers in English
Language Studies who had taught me and shared their knowledge and intellectual
thought, and also gave me enlightenment on English language as knowledge.
They were all inspirational persons who were always open for help and had
willingness to share their academic thought. I also thank all administration staff
and other functionaries of Sanata Dharma University for kindly providing services
and help during my study.
My deep gratitude also goes to my beloved husband, Arief Fatkur
Rahman. He always encourages me with his complete support, patience, love and
understanding. Then, my supportive family: my beloved parents, my siblings, my
nieces and nephews, and other relatives who supported and prayed for me.
I would like to express my deepest thanks to my friend Yuliana Tri
Nirmayanti for giving me invaluable feedback. She sincerely supported me and
also became courageous friend to hearten me in the midst of stressful moments. I
also thank Istanti Hermagustiana and Sirojuddin Arief for giving me critical
suggestions and encouragement.
I happily express my sincere gratitude to my beloved friends in English
Language Studies who kindly support and encourage me to finish my study:
Lelly, as the proof reader, who is sincerely checking my thesis, Orpa and Mbak
constant companion, Dede, Devy, Erni, Bu Erna, Dame, Pak Tangguh and other
who directly and indirectly engaged and inspired me with their thoughtful ideas
and knowledge. I also express my gratitude for Eager Beaver community and
those who donated contributions to this study and cannot be acknowledged
specifically here.
Lastly, I deliver my eternal gratitude to Alloh SWT for the entire miracle
and favor that has given to me. Through His blessing, I can keep trying, learning,
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ... i
ADVISOR’S APPROVAL ... ii
THESIS COMMITTEE’S APPROVAL ... iii
STATEMENT OF WORK ORIGINALITY... iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... v
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... viii
ABSTRACT ... x
ABSTRAK ... xi
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A.Background of the Study ... 1
B.Research Questions ... 8
C.Scope of the Study... 9
D.Significance of the Study ... 9
E. Research Method ... 11
F. Definition of Terms ... 12
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW A.A Glimpse of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet ... 15
1. The Bestsellers ... 15
2. The English Translated Versions ... 16
3. The Term “Native” ... 21
B.Previous Study ... 24
C.Review of Related Theories... .. 28
1. Modern Colonialism ... 29
2. Colonial Discourse ... 31
a. Orientalism ... 32
b. Colonialist Ideology ... 32
c. Othering ... 33
d. Hybridity ... 34
3. Decolonizing the Mind ... 34
D.Theoretical Framework ... 35
CHAPTER III: POTRAYAL OF INEQUALITY IN THE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET A.Economic Restructure ... 37
B.Constructing the Attitude of the Natives ... 47
1. The Settlement Area ... 48
2. The Table Manners ... 49
3. The Daily Life ... 51
4. The Education Accessibility ... 52
CHAPTER IV: COLONIALIST IDEOLOGY IN THE LASKAR PELANGI QUARTET
A.Superiority Versus Inferiority ... 62
B.Europeanized “Native” ... 71
1. Impression and Adoration ... 71
2. Pursuing Education ... 73
3. The Journey Aftermath ... 85
Conclusion ... 91
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 93
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 99
APPENDIXES ... 103
ABSTRACT
Anjar Dwi Astuti. 2015. Becoming Europeanized “Native” in Andrea Hirata’s
The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate
Program, Sanata Dharma University.
Indonesia had ever been colonized by the Dutch. However, the effects of colonialism do not easily end up along with the Indonesian formal independence. The colonizers’ values have been imparted to the colonized intentionally or unintentionally. Colonialism gives effects and influences the colonized attitudes on perceiving themselves and their relationship to others as captured in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet that consists of four novels: Laskar Pelangi (2006), Sang Pemimpi (2006), Edensor (2007) and Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi Lintang
(2008) as well as the English version: The Rainbow Troops (2009) and Edensor
(2011). Thus, the study aims to reveal how The Laskar Pelangi Quartet reinforces the colonizers’ values, as well as the ongoing effects of colonialism through colonial discourse implanted in the quartet.
Modern colonialism theory is used to identify the kind of inequality that is produced by modern colonialism through restructuring the economy and constructing the attitudes of the natives. This theory is supported by the theory of colonial discourse which is used to analyze European thinking with its power to construct the natives’ identity and culture. To sharpen the colonial domination towards the natives’ culture, theory on how colonialism imposed its control and colonialist ideology is used. The natives’ culture refers to Thiong’o’s term is the ways in which people perceive themselves as individuals and their relation to others.
Therefore, two questions are formulated. The first is how the main character in TheLaskar Pelangi Quartet portrays inequality in relation to modern colonialism practice. Then, the second is how The Laskar Pelangi Quartet as a phenomenal novel in Indonesia reveals colonialist ideology.
Through the analysis, the first finding is, inequality is portrayed through the economic imbalance as the consequence of restructuring the economy of the colonized. Inequality is represented in class system to strengthen the gap between the colonizers as the highest class and the colonized as the lowest class. Class system also influences the natives’ attitudes as the lowest class on confronting the different lifestyle. The second finding is that the quartet reveals colonialist ideology which is manifested in two ways: firstly, through the main character’s
othering process and secondly, his absolute pole on stating his Europeanized “native”. He resists the natives’ tradition because it does not support his intention to gain better future and life that can be proud of. Then, to confront with the inferior characteristics of the natives, he takes Europe with its superiority as his absolute pole. As a result, he is becoming Europeanized “native” after pursuing education and experiencing abroad. To infer, The Laskar Pelangi Quartet applies colonial discourse to reinforce the colonizers’ values.
ABSTRAK
Anjar Dwi Astuti. 2015. Becoming Europeanized “Native” in Andrea Hirata’s
The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate
Program, Sanata Dharma University.
Indonesia pernah dijajah oleh Belanda dan efek kolonialisme tidak berakhir seiring dengan kemerdekaan Indonesia. Nilai-nilai kolonialisme telah tertanamkan dalam diri kaum terjajah baik secara sengaja maupun tidak sengaja. Hal tersebut mempengaruhi perilaku kaum terjajah untuk memahami diri mereka sendiri dan hubungan mereka dengan orang lain. Seperti terpaparkan dalam
Tetralogi Laskar Pelangi yang terdir dari empat novel: Laskar Pelangi (2006),
Sang Pemimpi (2006), Edensor (2007) dan Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi
Lintang (2008). Dilengkapi dengan versi bahasa Inggris dari tetralogi tersebut,
The Rainbow Troops (2009) dan Edensor (2011). Oleh karena itu penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap bagaimana Tetralogi Laskar Pelangi menguatkan nilai-nilai kolonialisme dan juga menyingkap efek kolonialisme yang masih berkelanjutan melalui wacana kolonial yang ada di dalam tetralogi tersebut.
Teori kolonialisme modern digunakan untuk mengidentifikasi ketimpangan yang muncul sebagai akibat dari praktek kolonialisme modern melalui restrukturisasi ekonomi dan pembentukan perilaku pribumi. Teori tersebut dilengkapi dengan teori wacana kolonial untuk menganalisa pemikiran Eropa dan kekuatannya untuk membentuk identitas dan budaya pribumi. Untuk mengupas dominasi kolonial, teori tentang bagaimana kolonialisme memaksakan pengaruhnya dan teori ideologi kolonialis digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Istilah budaya mengacu pada Thiong’o, sebagai alat untuk mendefinisikan identitas. Ada dua permasalahan dalam penelitian ini. Pertama, bagaimana karakter utama dalam
Tetralogi Laskar Pelangi menggambarkan ketimpangan dalam kaitannya dengan
praktek kolonialisme modern. Kedua, bagaimana Tetralogi Laskar Pelangi
sebagai novel yang fenomenal di Indonesia menyerukan ideologi kolonialis.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Around 2006, I read an article in a daily newspaper about a best-selling
novelist Andrea Hirata whose works have made me become increasingly curious
to read all his works. Moreover, the news about the number of copies sold and the
education issues for the poor in his novels made him more popular. Hirata’s most
well-known novel is Laskar Pelangi (2006) that has reportedly inspired and
influenced readers.1 Furthermore, after being translated into English as The
Rainbow Troops (2009) and into other foreign languages, the book has entered
international market and received several awards such as ITB Buch Award (2013)
in Berlin2 and New York Book Festival (2013).3 Hirata who previously works in
PT Telkom Indonesia (The State Telecommunication Company) before the
success of his first novel Laskar Pelangi (2006) that has made him one of the
famous Indonesian writers, soon becomes the guest on several talk shows and
forums discussing Indonesian literature.
Writing the sequels of Laskar Pelangi to make them a quartet, Hirata
states that the novel is his memoirs.4 As mentioned in the acknowledgements to
his second novel Sang Pemimpi (2006), the story begins with Laskar Pelangi,
when Ikal as the main character, is at the first grade of elementary school until the
third grade of junior high school. The second novel tells about the struggle of the
1See Nurhady Sirimorok, Laskar Pemimpi: Andrea Hirata, Pembacanya dan Modernisasi Indonesia (Yogyakarta: Insist
Press, 2008) pp. 1-61
2Tim Berita Antara, Novel “Laskar Pelangi” Raih Penghargaan ITB Buch Award di Berlin. 12 Maret 2013
<http://www.indonesiaproud.wordpress.com>
3Yudha Manggala Putra, Novel “Laskar Pelangi” Raih Penghargaan di New York. 23 Oktober 2013
<http://www.republika.co.id>
4Andrea Hirata, Translating Laskar Pelangi into The Rainbow Troops. 3 September 2010.
<http://www.iwp-uiowa.edu>
characters at the senior high school as teenagers, who dare to dream and how the
power of dream helps them gaining unpredictable achievements. Then, Edensor
and Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi Lintang are the last two novels in the The
Laskar Pelangi Quartet which become his personal art projects for his hometown,
Belitung. For Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi Lintang, this novel is particularly
about his appreciation for women.5
My interest in exploring Laskar Pelangi (2006) as a quartet with the other
three novels: Sang Pemimpi (2006), Edensor (2007) and Maryamah Karpov:
Mimpi-mimpi Lintang (2008) rather than as a single novel lies on the argument
that Andrea Hirata putatively explores some education issues in his works.
Showing that quartet comprise of three novels as continuation of the first novel,
he shows upgrading of the characters’ education level. The time setting supports
mainly the main character’s journey and at the same time shows the issue of
education remains the concern of the The Laskar Pelangi Quartet.
Hirata also explains that Laskar Pelangi is a memoir written in an attempt
to balance and associate personal issues with more global ones concerning
government policies on education, natural resources management, and human
rights. In addition, he mentions about the discrimination held by a state-owned tin
company in Belitung that has ignored the wellbeing of the natives.6 However, I
am interested to explore deeper the four novels from postcolonial perspective, to
observe the extent to which education for the natives remains his biggest concern.
5See Andrea Hirata, Sang Pemimpi (Yogyakarta: Bentang Pustaka, 2006) pp. 274-277 6See Hirata, Translating Laskar Pelangi Into The Rainbow Troops. 3 September 2010.
<http://www.iwp-uiowa.edu>
Hirata’s first novel Laskar Pelangi (2006) or The Rainbow Troops (2009)
tells about the life of Belitung people who live side by side with the tin mining
company staffs. Being the legacy of the Dutch colonial government, the company
continues to maintain colonialist mentality in the management system. Most of
the natives or Belitungese works in the company as a coolie with the lowest
position and salary. Ikal as the main character, is the son of a coolie. Here, Hirata
portrays the gap between the natives and the company staffs based on their
economic condition. The lowest class is the natives who live in poverty, whereas
the company people who live in prosperity are the highest class. By contrasting
the life of the natives and the company people, Ikal observes the inequality that
brings him to find the way to confront his poor condition. He follows the step of
the company people to gain better life by taking up higher education, since the
company people are the only role model he is familiar with.
The sequel Sang Pemimpi (2006) or the forthcoming English version The
Dreamer portrays Ikal as a teenager who struggles to harbor his ambitious dream
in raising his social rank and setting himself free from the poverty trap. Following
the figure of well-educated company people who graduate from favourite
educational institutions in Java and worldwide, he enrols on a prestigious State
Senior High School in Belitung. Being influenced by Mr. Balia, his teacher, who
motivates his students by taking European people and culture as the best example,
Ikal attempts to reach his dream by studying in Europe. He believes that Europe is
the place where the world famous scientists study as to change civilization.
Edensor (2007) the third novel translated into English with the same title
studying in Europe. His single-minded dream comes true. Ikal meets people from
different countries and interacts with them as students and also friends. He proves
his teacher’s statement about the superiority of Europe through its people and
culture. However, at the same time, he realizes the inferiority of the Belitung’s
natives along with his acknowledgment of the European superiority.
The last novel Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi Lintang (2008) or the
forthcoming English version Strange Rhythm, is about the ending of Ikal’s
journey. After pursuing education and experiencing life abroad, he returns to his
hometown. Confidently he performs himself as a Europeanized “native”.
Physically, he is a Belitungese, but his attitudes have been influenced by the
European values. He attempts to adopt European ideas after his journey on
shaping his life mosaics through studying and experiencing life outside Belitung.
Thus, by reading The Laskar Pelangi as a quartet, it can be seen that each
novel captures the influence of colonialism. The tin mining company in Belitung
becomes the extension of colonial rule. After the Dutch expulsion from Belitung,
the Indonesian government takes over the company. However, under the different
ruler, the discrimination held by the state-owned tin company keeps continuing.
The wellbeing of the natives is still being ignored:
That great natural resource was exploited by a company called PN Timah, PN stands for Perusahaan Negeri, or state-owned company, Timah means tin. PN operated 16 dredges. … The enterprise absorbed almost the entire island’s workforce. It was a pulsing vein with a complete power monopoly over the whole island of Belitong.7
The Indonesian government took over PN from the colonial Dutch. And not only were the assets seized, but also the feudalistic mentality. Even after Indonesia gained its freedom, PN’s treatment of its native employees remained very discriminatory. The treatment differed based on caste-like groups. (TRT: 32)
7
The feudalistic mentality, as the legacy of the Dutch colonization, is captured on
the company’s treatment that discriminates the native employees based on
caste-like groups.
Colonialism is not only about occupying a country’s region. In its
development, colonialism is also an exploitation of the natural and human
resources of the country that being invaded. In relation to European colonialism,
Ania Loomba in Colonialism/Postcolonialism (2005) presents a categorization of
colonialism based on Marxist thinking: earlier colonialisms were pre-capitalist
and modern colonialism was established alongside capitalism in Western Europe.8
Therefore, the exploitation of the natural and human resources had been done
through restructuring the economies of the colonized that produced economic
imbalance. The economic imbalance was necessary for the growth of European
capitalism and industry. Furthermore, the exploitation as the way to restructure
the economy is also spilled over into the issue of oppression that relates to class or
other structures of oppression.
The setting of time of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet is after the Dutch
colonization. However, the tin mining company is the extension of colonial rule
that restructure the workings of class and ideology among the Belitungese. This
raises a question on how colonial rule affects the colonized. For that reason,
postcolonial perspective is used in this study to explore further the colonizers’
values implanted in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet through colonial discourse.
Since, postcolonialism is not simply after colonialism, but as Loomba contends,
“…more flexibly as the contestation of colonial domination and the legacies of
colonialism” 9 that keep continuing to affect the ex-colonized after the
colonization era.
To link the colonialism and colonial discourse, postcolonial studies
becomes the way to be placed within two contexts. The first is the history of
decolonization itself and second is the revolution, within “Western” intellectual
tradition.10 The first context is related to intellectuals and activists who fight
against colonial rule with its continuing legacy on the process of making their
voices heard and second context is the revolution inside the “Western” intellectual
thinking on the definitions of race, culture, language and class.11 Hence,
colonialism becomes the vehicle for language on articulating experience, on
showing how ideologies work, how human subjectivities are formed, and on
constructing or defining the meaning of culture. Then, colonial discourse shows
how language is used in particular way to maintain colonialist thinking. Thus, The
Laskar Pelangi Quartet as an Indonesian literature can prove the traces of
colonization in Indonesia and its influence towards Indonesian literary texts. This
research aims at raising readers’ awareness as to see whether the quartet affirms
or challenges the colonialist values.
Meanwhile, Sugirtharajah states that there are two aspects in
postcolonialism. The first is to analyze the diverse strategies by which the
colonizers constructed images of the colonized, and second is to study how the
colonized themselves made use of and went beyond many of those strategies in
order to articulate their identity, self-worth and empowermen.12 Therefore,
postcolonialism in this study is considered appriopriate to find the colonialist
9Loomba, p. 16 10See Loomba, p. 22-23 11Ibid
.
values through colonial discourse that the colonizers have produced. To construct
the image of the colonized through colonial discourse is one of the colonizers’
strategies to maintain their colonialist values towards the colonized.
Furthermore, postcolonialism as the contestation of colonial domination
and the legacies of colonialism13 can be seen as a theoretical attempt to engage the
colonial aftermath whereby the contemporary resistance to colonialism and to
dominant colonizers’ culture included. Through colonial discourse that the
colonizers have produced, they maintain their domination towards the colonized.
Then, education as a means to strengthen the colonialist control becomes the
powerful discourse for imparting and maintaining the colonizers’ values towards
the colonized.
In brief, colonial discourse joins power and knowledge together as the
colonizers’ way to maintain their domination over the colonized. Those who have
power can control knowledge through what is known and the way it is known.
Therefore, postcolonialism is considered appropriate to uncover the ongoing
effects of colonialism towards the colonized on constructing their image and
articulating their “self” which is influenced by the colonizers in The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet.
When Laskar Pelangi is read as a quartet rather than a single novel, the
issue of education is no longer dominant. Through postcolonial perspective, the
education issue is completed with the issue of colonialism, which shows the
ongoing effects of colonialism in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. Education is
observed as the colonialist’s tool to maintain and impart the colonizers’ values to
the colonized.
This study begins with the portrayal of inequality, which is seen as the
effects of exploitation on natural and human resources that have been done by
modern colonialism practice. Inequality becomes the main character’s way to
define Belitung society and his identity as a Belitungese. It is also a trigger to
improve his “self”. Thus, education becomes his choice as a ladder to enhance his
social rank and to construct his identity. However, through colonial discourse,
education is seen as a potential discourse that legally imparts the colonizers’
values to the colonized. Education becomes the way to maintain their values and
to control the society. For that reason, colonialist ideology is explored to examine
how the main character is described to harbor colonialist thinking by affirming the
colonizers’ values.
Thus, this study hopes to show an undisclosed issue inspite of The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet’s popularity by using the postcolonial perspective. It is expected
to enable readers to be more critical and aware of the issue that the writer brings
through the story. Specifically, it aims to reveal how The Laskar Pelangi Quartet
reinforces the colonizers’ values and shows the ongoing effects of colonialism.
B. Research Questions
Based on the explanation above, the hypothesis holds that The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet reinforces the colonizers’ values through the main character’s
view and attitude, as well as reveals the ongoing effects of colonialism. Therefore,
two questions are formulated:
1. How does the main character in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet portray
inequality in relation to modern colonialism practice?
C. Scope of the Study
The focus of this study is to explore the quartet, i.e. Laskar Pelangi
(2006), Sang Pemimpi (2006), Edensor (2007) and Maryamah Karpov:
Mimpi-mimpi Lintang (2008) as well as the two English versions The Rainbow Troops
(2009) and Edensor (2011). This study excavates colonial discourse implanted in
the main character’s view and attitude in his attempt to portray and confront with
his social class, and as a Belitungese for becoming a Europeanized “native”.
To limit the study, this research does not base its discussion on translation
studies perspective, although postcolonial translation can be used to figure out the
intention of the translation version. This study emphasizes the colonial discourse
that is captured in the original and translated version through the main character’s
view and attitude. Therefore, this study is the initial ground to dig out the
influence of colonialism on the original and translation version based on
postcolonial approach by examining the colonial discourse inscribed in The
Laskar Pelangi Quartet.
D. Significance of the Study
Literature as a text, speaks about many things that happen around human
and life itself with which an appreciation towards society and life may emerge.
Regarding the condition of Indonesia that still deals with poverty problems and
skepticism to various modes of government policy, the existence of The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet may signify that the life of the marginalized people hardly
improves with the end of colonialism. However, the story seems to give easy
solution for Indonesian people to solve their poverty problems. This is indeed a
suspicion.
Conversely, the quartet shows that the way the marginalized confronts
with their marginality and overcome their underprivileged condition are by going
to the “centre” as the place where the ideal role model is born. Then, pursuing
education to Java and Europe becomes the way to unravel their marginality. Java
is seen as the colonial extension for the marginalized. Furthermore, through
education, the colonialist values, particularly European way of life, is assumed
herein as being the normal, natural, or the universal guidance for becoming a fully
human being. Therefore, reading The Laskar Pelangi Quartet with decolonizing
the mind14 is attempted in this study. By decolonising the mind, it means to
challenge the continuing and enduring influences of Eurocentrism as the
colonialist values.
What raises my curiosity is that why do the natives articulate themselves
by using the colonizer’s construction and confronting with their marginalized
condition by following and taking the colonizers’ as their role model? The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet brings a hint message that the novels affirm the colonialist
thinking as the best way to articulate an identity and the solution to improve the
life of the ex-colonized. For that reason, to reveal the ongoing effects of
colonialism, the postcolonial approach is used to examine colonial discourse
implanted in the quartet.
14Decolonising the mind is a term from Ngugi Wa Thiong’o’s book entitled Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of
It is important to deeply analyze The Laskar Pelangi Quartet alongside
their English versions to sharpen people’s awareness as to appreciate Indonesian
literature. Moreover, understanding the works in both languages The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet will be meaningful for the English Studies Program because the
inclusion of Indonesian literature will enrich the existing studies.
E. Research Method
This study employs library research. The primary data are The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet which consists of Laskar Pelangi (2006), Sang Pemimpi (2006),
Edensor (2007), Maryamah Karpov: Mimpi-mimpi Lintang (2008) and the
English versions The Rainbow Troops (2009) and Edensor (2011). The secondary
data are taken from books, articles and journals discussing and analyzing Andrea
Hirata’s works.
Postcolonial approach is used in this study for several reasons. First, it
helps to explore the colonizers’ values implanted in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet.
Second, it helps finding out the way the quartet affirms the colonialist values.
Third, postcolonial approach enlightens the ongoing effects of colonialism
through colonial discourse as a system of statement and knowledge that maintain
the colonizers’ domination over the colonized. It observes that colonialism is not
only about occupying other countries, but it also influences the economic, social
and cultural states of the colonized country. Therefore, although colonization has
ended, its effects are still continuing.
Tyson mentions two ways to interpret a literary work, i.e. reading “with
the grain” and “against the grain”.15 Reading a literary work “with the grain”
15
means that readers interpret the work the way it seems to invite them to interpret
it. Whereas, reading “against the grain” happens when readers interpret the text of
which the text itself seems unaware. Based on that definition, the researcher
applies the second way, “reading against the grain” when examining and
interpreting The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. Decolonising of the mind is also
attempted in this study, to observe the process of revealing colonialist power
whether by challenging or affirming the continuing and enduring influences of
Eurocentrism as the colonialist values.
The procedures of this astudy are as follows. Close reading to each novel
is the first step to understand the issue and the story itself. The second step is to
find the pattern which always appears in each novel. Comprehending the issue to
find its meaning is the third step. The last step is analyzing it using postcolonial
approach.
F. Definition of Terms
The title of this thesis is Becoming Europeanized “Native” in Andrea
Hirata’s The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. To enlighten the reading of this thesis,
some important terms in this study are defined:
1. Postcolonialism. Referring to Loomba’s concept of postcolonialism “not just
as coming literally after colonialism and signifying its demise, but more
flexible as the contestation of colonial domination and the legacies of
colonialism”,16 it can be seen as a theoretical attempt to engage with the
colonial aftermath whereby the contemporary resistance to colonialism and to
dominant colonizers’ culture included.
2. Colonial discourse. According to Aschcroft et al. colonial discourse that
implicated in ideas of the centrality of Europe is a system of statements and a
system of knowledge and beliefs.17
3. Colonialist ideology. According to Tyson, colonialist ideology refers to the
way colonialist thinking is expressed. 18 The colonizers express their own
superiority, an assumption gained by contrasting it with the inferiority of the
natives as the people they invaded. The superiority assumption gives direction
on classifying people’s characteristics based on the colonizers’ claim to
strengthen their own position as the controller.
4. Othering. Spivak points out that the term: “…the native states are being
distinguished from “our [colonial] governments””,19 is the process by which
imperial discourse creates its ‘others’.
5. Hybridity. This term has frequently been used in postcolonial discourse to
mean simply cross-cultural ‘exchange’.20 Bhabha contends: “Hybridity is the
sign of the productivity of colonial power, its shifting forces and fixities; it is
the name for the strategic reversal of the process of domination through
disavowal …”21
6. Europeanized “native”. This term refers to the hybrid condition, the
in-betweenness condition of the natives generated by colonialism. The result of
17
Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, Key Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies (London: Routledge, 1998) p.42
18See Tyson, p.419
19Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, The Rani of Sirmur An Essay in Reading the Archives, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Oct., 1985) p.255
<http://www.scribd.com>
20Ashcroft et al, p.119 21
“mental miscegenation” of colonial educational policies, to educate natives for
becoming the Europeanized natives.22
7. Native. This term is used in the translated version of the novels. The word
native is choosen to translate the Belitung people or Belitungese (orang
Melayu Belitung), it is written as “the natives of Belitong” (TRT: 30), “the
native Belitong-Malays” (TRT: 39)
8. Culture. This study uses the term culture in relation to the way people perceive
themselves as an individual and their relationship to the world, or culture as
the tool of self-definition. The term is referring to Thiong’o: “To control a
people’s culture is to control their tools of self-definition in relationship to
others.”23
22Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism (London: Verso, 2006)
p. 91
23
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
A. A Glimpse of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet
1. The Bestsellers
The Laskar Pelangi Quartet consists of four novels: Laskar Pelangi
(2006), Sang Pemimpi (2006), Edensor (2007) and Maryamah Karpov:
Mimpi-mimpi Lintang (2008). Laskar Pelangi as the first novel is the most popular of all.
It was firstly published in 2005 and then later it becomes a phenomenon in
Indonesian literature. Laskar Pelangi (2006) has been sold more than 500,000
copies and won the position of Must-Read Novel in every corner of the nation's
bookshops and media review pages.24 Additionally, it was sold internationally in
33 countries, such as in Germany, Korea, China and Australia.25 The three novels
of the quartet, Laskar Pelangi (2006), Sang Pemimpi (2006) and Edensor (2007)
have already been adapted into movies. The movie Laskar Pelangi and Sang
Pemimpi have received international awards in Singapore International Film
Festival and the Udine Far East International Film Festival in Italy.26The movie
could, surprisingly, attract five million viewers and it was considered as the
highest grossing Indonesian box-office.27
The setting of Laskar Pelangi (2006) is Belitung which is a portrait of a
beautiful island with long history of tin mining which later becomes impoverished
24Iwan Seti, “LaskarPelangi”: The Audacity of Hope. 7 September 2008.
<http://www2.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/09/07/039laskar-pelangi039-the-audacity-hope.html>
25MitraTarigan, Laskar Pelangi Jadi Buku Best Seller International. 12 Februari 2013
<http://www.tempo.com>
26“Sang Pemimpi” Gets Second International Award. thejakartapost.com. 4th May 2010
<http://www2.thejakartapost.com/news>
27Cut Mini Wins Best Actress Award Brussels Film Festival. thejakartapost.com. 10th February 2010
by the destructive effects of the mining activities. This story represents the
condition of society and region in Indonesia’s hinterland area and how children
spend their childhood in poverty trap and critical condition of education. Hence,
Laskar Pelangi as a quartet is also based on the writer’s true story. Andrea Hirata
himself was born in Belitung and he portrayed his life journey through The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet. In an interview,28Hirata explained that initially the novel Laskar
Pelangi was not going to be published. He wrote the novel to express his gratitude
and appreciation to his teachers in the Elementary School, Ibu Muslimah and
Bapak Harfan Effendi, and a couple of his best friends. By coincidence, his friend
found the draft of the novel in his boardinghouse room, and sent it to a publisher
quietly. The three sequels were later published after the success of the first novel.
2. The English Translated Version
After the success of Laskar Pelangi (2006) in Indonesia, Hirata decided to
translate it into English for overseas market. He asked Angie Kilbane, a student of
literature atIndonesia University, to work for the translation.29 He mentioned their
goals in translating Laskar Pelangi into English. Firstly, it is to share it with the
world, not only limited for the Southeast Asian Studies libraries and classes.
Secondly, it is to provide Indonesian students of English with a reference written
by someone from their own country.30 Therefore, the English version that has
firstly been published under the same publisher of the Indonesian version,
Bentang Pustaka, is the major source for other translated versions. At present, it
28Buku Laskar Pelangi (LP) pada awalnya bukan untuk diterbitkan. Niat saya untuk menulis buku ini sudah ada sejak saya
kelas 3 SD, ketika saya demikian terkesan pada jerih payah kedua guru SD saya Ibu Muslimah dan Bapak Harfan Effendi, serta 10 sahabat masa kecil saya, yang disebut Kelompok Laskar Pelangi. Buku Laskar Pelangi saya tulis sebagai ucapan terima kasih dan penghargaan kepada guru dan sahabat-sahabat saya itu. Seorang teman, tidak sengaja menemukan draf buku itu di kamar kos saya, dan diam-diam mengirimkannya pada penerbit. Sampai hari ini saya masih heran ternyata buku LP masih merupakan buku laris. .Andrea Hirata Sastrawan dari Kampung Belitung. 8 March 2011. (Posted by Puja, Interviewed by StevyWidia) [My translation here and thereafter]
<http:///www.sastra-indonesia.com>
29
Angie Kilbane in Andrea Hirata, The Rainbow Troops (Yogyakarta: Bentang Pustaka, 2009) p. 466
also has been translated into German, Korean, Chinese and Turkish language.
However, both the English version for Indonesian and overseas market are not
exactly identical compared with the original version of Laskar Pelangi (2006)
since there are some addition and reduction.
The English version The Rainbow Troops (2009) undergoes changes in
some important parts. Firstly, the change is on one of the characters, Mr.
Samadikun as the School Superintendent who does not exist in the Indonesian
version. He wants the Muhammadiyah School to be closed because of its lack of
the government’s standards. He appears to emphasize how the government
oppresses the marginalized people through the state education policy. The
oppressed are students and teachers who live in the hinterland area. They should
achieve the government’s standard to conduct formal education in their region.
The standards include the number of students, school’s facilities, and students’
achievements. The School Superintendent has a duty to check and evaluate those
standards. He is described as having arrogant manner to show his overbearing
image:
The sight of his glasses made all the teachers in Belitung tremble. He was, none other than Mister Samadikun—the School Superintendent. (TRT: 86)
Because she was so nervous, Bu Mus made a fatal mistake before anything else even happened. “Please come in, Pak,” she said politely. Mister Samadikun glared at her and snapped, “Call me Mister!” It was common knowledge: He didn’t want to be called Pak Samadikun. Maybe it was influence from his Dutch teachers, or perhaps it was to maintain his authoritative image, whatever the reason was, one thing was clear: he wanted to be called Mister.” (TRT: 88-89)
Mr. Samadikun represents the government’s policy and power towards education
in Indonesia, especially formal education. His existence is to strengthen the
Secondly, the change is on the arrangement of chapters. The original
version consists of 34 chapters and the English version consists of 48 chapters.
The titles of the chapters changes on certain numbers. It also shows different
emphasize on the story in each chapter. For example in Indonesian version there is
chapter four with the title Perempuan-perempuan Perkasa. It tells about the
woman teacher character, Bu Mus, who teaches in Muhammadiyah School. She
taught Ikal and became one of the inspirational teachers who influenced him. She
is portrayed as a woman who has strong passion and loyalty on her duty as a
teacher. Whereas in the English version, the title of chapter four is Grizzly Bear
which tells about Pak Harfan, the headmaster of Muhammadiyah School. His
characters are down to earth, charismatic and being described as a guru:
He was a guru in the true sense of the word, its Hindi meaning: a person who not only transfers knowledge but who also is a friend and spiritual guide for his students. (TRT: 26)
The portrayal of Bu Mus in English version is told in chapter six under the title
Those without the Right. Thus, the title does not highlight the tough woman’s
character as shown in the Indonesian version.
Thirdly, the change is on the finding of the tin under the Muhammadiyah
School’s building. That occurs to support the conflict between the government’s
company and educational institution. It also represents the oppression from those
who have authority, power and wealthy towards the oppressed, the people who are
marginalized, powerless and poor. Because of the tin under the school’s building,
the threat to close the school strengthens the conflict that supports the education
issue:
… We felt the sting of irony. Underneath our decrepit and collapsing school— the school where we fought in poverty every day to continue our lives—laid a hidden treasure worth trillions of rupiah. (TRT: 276)
Fourthly, the change can be clearly noticed in the end of the story. Laskar
Pelangi (2006) includes the fulfillment of the aspiration of each member of
Laskar Pelangi. It is considered more communal. It is not only the achievement of
Ikal as the main character, but also all his friends’ are highlighted. This is
significant because it brings a big value that no matter where they come from,
what sort of life they have achieved, they found happiness through the fulfilment
of their aspiration. Meanwhile, the ending of The Rainbow Troops (2009) is more
individual; it focuses on the experience of Ikal as the main character that shows
his concern on education accessibility.
In brief, the impressions shown by the original and the English versions
are different. Education issues in the original version are not emphasized
previously. Joining formal school was told as part of childhood experiences which
were colored by happiness and sadness. When Laskar Pelangi (2006) later
becomes bestseller because of education issues, then the production of the English
version gives emphasize to strengthen that issue. It can be seen from some
changes that have been mentioned above.
Whereas Edensor (2007) the third novel translated into English with the
same title, a conspicuous reduction is on the title of Mozaik 15. The title of
Mozaik 15 in Indonesian version is Aku dan Anggun C. Sasmi. Anggun C. Sasmi
is an Indonesian singer who becomes international singer nowadays after she
moves to France. The main character adores her because she represents an
particularly in France. By seeing her CD album in a music store in France, his
patriotic pride is raising:
This evening, after class, we visited a music store in an elite area L’ Avenue des Champs-Elysees. We were delighted to see Anggun C. Sasmi’s CD album among other world musicians. Her songs were in French language. There was something strange deep inside my heart when I was seeing her CD album. For the first time, my patriotic fervour was raising. It was because of a singer that I knew when I was not in my own country. Patriotism was not easily gained, when I stayed in my country with its symbol the bird of Garuda Pancasila.31 [My translation]
However, in the English version the title is changing into Paris and the narrative
about Anggun C. Sasmi is omitted. It tells more about France with its charm on
culture. Thus, patriotic fervour as an Indonesian is diminished in English version
and replaced with the description of France as the center of art.
The English version of Edensor (2007) as the third novel has been
published and marketed, while the second novel, The Dreamer (forthcoming) has
not yet been settled. Therefore, the publication of the quartet English version has
not been done sequentially. This is a questionable circumstance between the
importance to publish the quartet sequentially and the market interest on the issue
in each novel. Moreover, based on the information from Hirata’s management
representation, Arsi, the English version of Sang Pemimpi (2006) indeed has
never been marketed.32
Hirata stated that his goals in translating Laskar Pelangi (2006) into
English is to share it with the world, not just South Asian Studies classes, but will
31
Pulang kuliah sore ini kami iseng mengunjungi toko musik di kawasan elite L’Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Kami meloncat-loncat girang karena diantara jejeran compact disk musisi dunia tampak album Anggun C. Sasmi dengan lagu yang dibawakan dalam bahasa Prancis. Aneh, untuk pertama kalinya rasanya rasa patriotik membuncah dalam diriku, semuanya karena seorang vokalis dan saat aku berada di negeri orang. Perasaan ini amat sulit kutumbuhkan selama aku hidup dibawah naungan Burung Garuda Pancasila. Andrea Hirata, Edensor (Yogyakarta: Bentang Pustaka, 2007) p.87; All subsequent references to this work, abbreviated EDI,will be used in this thesis with pagination only.
32Miss. Arsi’s respond was based on my previous email that asked about the English version of Sang Pemimpi in book
appear to a wider audience.33 Therefore, in translating Edensor (2007), the content
is also arranged for the purpose of international market. The international agent
responsible for the overseas market, according to Hirata, is Amer& Asia Co. Ltd.
from Tucson, Virginia, in the United States. Additionally, the agency has already
signed deals to release the books in German, China, Vietnam and Egypt.34 In
February 2011, he signed a contract with New York-based Kathleen Anderson
Literary Management, which oversees the publishing of his novels outside
Indonesia.35The Rainbow Troops (2009) has been marketed in some countries.
The promotion of the international edition is also printed behind each book cover
of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet that is published in Indonesia. The English
versions or international editions are: The Rainbow Troops (2009), The Dreamer
(forthcoming), Edensor (2011) and Strange Rhythm (forthcoming). The
advertising of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet is unceasing whether for Indonesian or
overseas market.
3. The Term “Native”
The Rainbow Troops (2009) and Edensor (2011) as the English version of
the two novels of the quartet use the term native to translate the Belitungese. The
main character describes who the Belitung people are:
We Malays generally are simple individuals who acquire life’s wisdom from Koranic teachers and elders at the mosque after magrib prayer. […] Ours is an old race. We have heard various definitions of our race, and there are some experts who say that Belitong Malays are not Malay. We don’t put much stock into that opinion for two reasons: Belitong people themselves don’t understand such matters; and because we aren’t eager to be primordial. To us, people all along the coast—from Belitong up to Malaysia—are Malays, based on a mutual obsession with peninsular rhythms, the beating of tambourines and rhyming.
33Andrea Hirata, Translating Laskar Pelangi Into The Rainbow Troops. 3 September 2010.
<http://www.iwp-uiowa.edu>
34Andrea Hirata Novels Hit Overseas Bookstores. thejakartapost.com. 26th March 2010
<http://www2.thejakartapost.com/news>
35Andrea Hirata Home His Parents
Our identity is not based on language, skin color, belief systems or skeletal structure. We are an egalitarian race. (TRT: 127)
Malays are their identity because of the location of the Belitung Island, “To us,
people all along the coast—from Belitong up to Malaysia—are Malays” (Ibid.).
Therefore, the Belitungese is Belitung Malays. Then, in the translated version it is
translated into “the natives of Belitong” (TRT: 30), “the native Belitong-Malays”
(TRT: 39), and “the Malays” (TRT: 42).
For other ethnics who live in Belitung, he mentions Chinese and Sawang.
In Indonesian version, the Chinese is written as orang Tionghoa, and it is
translated into “the Chinese” (TRT: 128) and “the Chinese-Malays” (TRT: 41).
They live side by side with the Belitungese for hundred years:
The Chinese-Malays, as they sometimes are called, have lived on the island for a long time. They were first brought to Belitong by the Dutch to be tin laborers. Most of them were Khek from Hakka, Hokian from Fukien, Thongsans, Ho Phos, Shan Tungs, and Thio Cius. That tough ethnic community developed their own techniques for manually mining tin. Their terms for these techniques,
aichang, phok, kiaw, and khaknai, are still spoken by Malay tin prospectors to this day. (TRT: 41)
It shows that the Chinese is seen as other inhabitants of Belitung, not originally
part of the Belitung people although they live in Belitung. Their existence is as a
migrant. Although they live in Belitung, the main character does not include them
as the Belitung-Malays but as the Chinese-Malays.
Then, for Sawang people, he observes them as having primitive culture
that live near the Belitungese:
From the Sawang’s appearance, he sees them as different from the Malays and the
Chinese. Furthermore, how they spent their money becomes the main character’s
concern:
They spent like there was no tomorrow and borrowed like they’d live forever. Because of their money management problems, the Sawangs often became the victims of negative stereotypes in the circles of the Malay majority and the Chinese. (TRT: 129)
Sawang becomes the minority with their attached negative stereotypes in
Belitung. Not only do they spend their money on particular way, their culture is
also seen as different from the Belitung-Malays, as he states:
The Sawangs were quite happy to marginalize themselves. For them, life consisted of a foreman willing to pay them once a week and hard jobs that no other race was willing to do. They didn’t recognize the concept of powerdistance because there was no hierarchy in their culture. People who didn’t understand their culture would consider them impolite. The one and only exalted one among them was the head of the tribe, usually a shaman, and the position wasn’t hereditary. (TRT: 129-130)
The primitive culture that the main character has mentioned earlier about the
Sawang is described clearer in this quotation, such as: they marginalize
themselves, do the hard jobs that other races do not want to do, and their leader is
written as “the head of the tribe”.
Therefore, the term native in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet refers to the
Belitungese, that to be specific is Belitung-Malays people with their Malay race
and Islam religion. As the main character has mentioned: “We Malays generally
are simple individuals who acquire life’s wisdom from Koranic teachers and
elders at the mosque after magrib prayer” (TRT: 127). Meanwhile, for the Chinese
and the Sawang, they are not part of the native. They are seen as other races that
live in Belitung but are not included as the Belitung-Malays.
According to Chow, “[…]seeing become overwhelmingly important ways of
of ontological boundaries between “self” and “other”.36 “Native” in the quartet is
the main character’s construction based on his “seeing” to categorize who the
Belitung people are. Thus, the quartet as a text may contradicts the “real”
understanding of the dynamic population in Belitung.
B. Previous Study
The phenomenal success of The Laskar Pelangi Quartet has invited
different appreciation from different readers. They give their comments mostly
through the internet while academic reports or journals discussing those novels as
a quartet emerge infrequently. Mostly the discussion is only taking one novel
from the quartet. Andreas Akun uses postcolonial approach to discuss Laskar
Pelangi (2006) to argue that the novel decentralizes the center (dominant
discourse power) to empower (centralizing) the peripheral marginal group.37
The counter discursive strategy which is developed by the author can be
seen from the inverted positioning of the marginalized against the dominating
group. The marginalized here means Belitung’s people as a local and the
dominating group is the comers who works and leave in PN Timah ( a government
company that control the tin mining) environment. The marginalized has been
represented as overpowering the dominating group, through the representation of
deconstructive teacher images, the used of the myth and science as teasing to
criticize the education problems, the Chinese with their positive images and the
use of local language. Those represent the marginal people with their
marginalized position may have an opportunity to fight against the dominating
36Rey Chow, Woman and Chinese Modernity: The Politics of Reading Between West and East (USA: The University of
Minnesota Press, 1991) p. 3
37
people—who have power with their superior mainstream—and they become the
winner.
Akun concludes that Laskar Pelangi (2006) is not about how struggle and
spirit is important for marginal group to keep surviving in this life, but it is about
how the minority actually have the potential to fight back ideologically the
domination of the mainstream. Here, I partly agree with his study, particularly to
fight back the domination of the mainstream. However, his conclusion on “the
potential to fight back ideologically the domination of the mainstream”, the words
“the potential” shows the possible ways to fight back. How the minority fulfill
their potential way is the question pursued in my study. Moreover, by using
Laskar Pelangi as a quartet, the findings will be more detailed. Therefore, how the
minority develop their potential way to fight back the domination of the
mainstream will be more obvious through my study on the ongoing effects of
colonialism in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet.
Another study is conducted to criticize The Laskar Pelangi Quartet,
written by Nurhady Sirimorok in his book entitled Laskar Pemimpi: Andrea
Hirata, Pembacanya dan Modernisasi Indonesia (The Dreamer Troops: Andrea
Hirata, His Readers and Indonesian Modernization) published in 2008 by Insist
Press.38 Sirimorok wants to answer his question why Hirata’s novels become very
popular in Indonesia and labeled as Indonesia’s most powerful book. His purpose
is to criticize the quartet by analyzing comments from website. In this case the
commentators are varying in profession and also educational background. He
judges the writer as an agent of modernization. Modernity is seen as a label
38Insist Press is a publisher in Yogyakarta which takes position to criticize formal education in Indonesia. Books that they
generates from Western Enlightenment, as the way to show the development of
their societies from traditional into modern.39 The readers of his work are the
victims of modernization.40 It means that to be a successful person, someone
should take formal education as the solution, and enter university to take under
graduate program in urban area of the country and continue to graduate program
in abroad, then work as an employee.41 Afterward, they become far away from
their own society and only concern with their own life.
His judgments are completed with quotation from the novels, mostly from
the main character’s development to convince the readers that his judgment uses
appropriate data. He also uses Orientalism to argue that The Laskar Pelangi
Quartet represents the strong influence of Orientalism in the Eastern countries
like Indonesia.42 It is proven in the writer choice of Paris as the center of
knowledge43 and modernity that refers to Western modernization44 which are
depicted in The Laskar Pelangi Quartet. According to Sirimorok, Hirata’s
adoration to the Western countries is too much. The adoration captures in the
quartet does not offer good influence to readers. The writer brings the spirit of
colonialism in his work by showing that the Western countries with their people
and culture are the best role model in the world.
He also puts into question the kind of dream that the writer sold in his
novels. He concludes that dream of modernization is the answer.45 Sirimorok’s
answer cannot be separated from his own background as a literature scholar, and
39Nurhady Sirimorok, Laskar Pemimpi; Andrea Hirata, Pembacanya dan Modernisasi Indonesia (Yogyakarta: InsistPress,
2008) p. 31
40 Sirimorok, pp. 63-64 41Sirimorok, pp. 15-16 42Sirimorok, p.129 43Sirimorok, p. 130-131 44
Sirimorok, p. 77
then continued his study in Rural Livelihood and Global Change, Institute of
Social Studies, Den Haag, Holland.
Subsequently, his work allows him to do research and become a facilitator
for people who live in rural area in South Sulawesi.46 His intense interaction with
rural people supports him to take his position on their side. His lived experience
has influenced him to question whether modernization pattern is appropriate for
the people. Therefore, the critic from Sirimorok cannot be separated from his
background and attention to the rural society life.
I agree with Sirimorok’s criticism in relation to colonialism and
modernization. However, his critic on the quartet is more to the writer as a person
rather than as the main character. He sees the quartet as a memoir, since it is based
on the author’s real life. On the contrary, this present study is to examine the
quartet mainly through the main character’s view and attitudes on perceiving and
representing himself and his society to reveal the ongoing effects of colonialism.
Here, Akun and Sirimorok have different arguments. While Akun acquires
positive argument, Sirimorok has the opposite by criticizing and giving negative
views on Hirata’s novels. Akun applauds Laskar Pelangi (2006) as a single novel
that depicts how the minority has potential to resist the domination of the
mainstream. Conversely, Sirimorok concludes that the writer is an agent of
modernization who adores western lifestyle and his dream is modernization itself.
Therefore, my study is close to Akun’s in terms of fulfillment of the
potential. Meanwhile, Sirimorok’s research is also similar with my research.
However, we have different focus: first, Sirimorok examines the writer as a
person, whereas my study focuses on the main character of the quartet. Second, is
on the way colonialism is revealed. Sirimorok uses Orientalism to show the spirit
of colonialism finds in the quartet through the writer’s Western adoration and
dream. My study will instead reveal the ongoing effects of colonialism by using
postcolonial approach to read Laskar Pelangi as a quartet and Orientalism is only
part of other theories. It attempts to examine colonial discourse that operates
through the main character’s view and attitudes in Hirata’s novels. In details, this
study explains the way the main character portrays inequality as the consequence
of modern colonialism practice and finds out how The Laskar Pelangi Quartet
reveal colonialist ideology.
Despite the argument of the researchers above, the fact that the number of
poverty in Indonesia is still high cannot be denied. Therefore, to survive people
need power that can stimulate their spirit to struggle. The quartet provides that
power that most people need. Moreover, it is a memoir of the writer’s life, based
on his true story. It convinces people to believe that poor people have chances to
obtain successful live. In my final remark, The Laskar Pelangi Quartet as an
Indonesian literature is indeed able to inspire many people to struggle with their
life. However, what kind of struggles that people should do, what is the intention
of their struggle, how to achieve and what is the result, for gaining better life are
the questions to awaken readers’ awareness besides the popularity of the novels.
C. Review of Related Theories
The concern of postcolonial approach to the study of literature is on the
way literary texts uncover the colonial traces and others confrontations that
happens because of unequal power.47 Unequal power emerges between the
47See
dominant and the dominated group whereby the dominant has power to control.
Confrontations because of unequal power as the legacy of colonialism can be
occurred within the colonized after the end of colonization. It emerges between
“native” versus “migrants”.48 Native here means the local residents, whereas
migrants are newcomers that usually from different ethnic that move to another
region and stay in the native’s region. Economic reason usually becomes the
reason that supports them to migrate.
The confrontations that happened because of unequal power indicate the
existence of colonialism that spread out in different ways on many aspects of
society. Therefore, the colonizer and the colonized as the actors of colonialism are
still exist with different performance. Their performance is not about the power on
physical attack but more as an ideology that has latent characteristic to influence
people and has been done by the extension of the colonizers.
Postcolonial approach is used in this study to reveal how The Laskar
Pelangi Quartet reinforces the colonizers’ values through the main character’s
view and attitude and shows the ongoing effects of colonialism. Therefore, some
theorists who develop ideas related to postcolonial approach are chosen to make
this study complete.
1. Modern Colonialism
Loomba explains what modern colonialism does to people they invaded.
European colonialisms, in particular, use strategies to dominate the colonized with
the intention to produce economic imbalance for the growth of European
capitalism and industry. By restructuring the economies of the colonized, they
48A term that is adopted from Melani Budianta’s essay. Melani Budianta, “In The Margin of The Capital From “Tjerita
