An Analysis of Social Criticism in the Novel Padang Bulan by Andrea Hirata: A Study of Literary Sociology

Abstract

Literary works depict human life with various problems based on the author's ideas, thoughts, feelings or daily experiences. Literary works not only function as entertainment, but can also provide readers or viewers with knowledge and beauty. Sociology of literary works is a sociological study of literature that examines literary works in relation to social problems that exist in society. Sociology tries to find out how society behaves, how it exists, and how it persists. Based on the object of this study, a theory of the study of the sociology of literature was born which focuses on the study of social criticism of society in literature. Researchers chose the novel Padang Bulan because it was able to combine literary works with social reality. This research aims to reveal the intrinsic elements and social criticism contained in the novel Padang Bulan by Andrea Hirata using a literary sociology approach. This research refers to qualitative research using analytical methods with the data collection technique used in this research is document analysis. Data obtained from reading, studying the entire contents of the novel and recording the facts contained in it in the form of the social problems depicted. The material in this analysis is the novel itself entitled Padang Bulan by Andrea Hirata