Classical Critical Theory (Essay of Bumi Manusia)

Novia Laras Ayuning Tias

1145030133

V-D

The Humanity Values of Bumi Manusia

by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Literature is generally divided into three groups such as prose, drama, and poetry. Literature tells us about experience of life. It will widen your knowledge and visions to understand life such as closer to other human beings with the same or different nationalities, cultures, human values. Jakop Sumadjo says that values have affective power, when it is only derived by spoken. It will be more interesting and implanted in self personality by literary work (Kaswardi, 1993:148).

Values of giving is a value that need to be practiced or provided which would then be accepted as given. Values of giving include: loyalty, trustworthy, respect, love, affection, sensitive, not egoist, kind, friendly, fair, humane (Linda and Richard Eyre, 1997).

Many people like to read the kinds of literature, one of them is prose. Prose also has varieties such as novel, short story, epic, novella, and novelette. Novel is long story that has much information. Sometimes, it is about the experiences, thinking and knowledge of the novelist. They want to transfer the value of their novel to the reader. Its messages will inspire the reader to get new spirit to life. In other words, there are many advantages of reading novel. Educational values belong to one of the advantages of reading novel. Actually, a lot of people read novel for pleasure, so readers is interested and may spend their time to read it. Therefore, novel showed be exploited to know deeper what messages hidden. Based on the explanation above, the writer is interested to analyze the novel by title Bumi Manusia. Bumi Manusia is Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s novel. It tells us about the spirit of study aboard, the story of love, religious tolerance, revolution and living in Java culture, all of them belonging to Humanity Values.

In this Novel (Bumi Manusia) Pramoedya told the condition in the 1898, The Bumi Manusia novel provided an inspiration and illustration on Indonesian situation and condition in the end of XIX century era. the main character in this novel called Minke. He was a Javanese minor royal and one of an Indonesian Journalist active in the nationalist movement. He was the first native Javanese boy who attended an elite Dutch colonial high school or HBS. Minke was a brilliant student, descendant of Javanese royalty, and an acutely sensitive observer of the complex and dangerous world around him. One day, Robert Suurhof, his friend in HBS went to his boarding school. Robert asked for accompanying him to go to Robert Mellema's house. There, Minke met the beautiful girl Annelies and he become her friend and husband too (in the last chapter). Annelies is Nyai Ontosoroh’s Daughter and also the sister of Robert Mellema. Nyai Ontosoroh is illegal wife of Mr. Herman Mellema.

Pramoedya wrote this book when he was languishing in detention on Buru island in 1975s, but only published in 1980 and received a tremendous response from readers at home and abroad, to the extent that in the one year period (1980-1981) has been reprinted 10 times. However, the attorney general, the book was banned and withdrawn from circulation for advocating Marxism-Leninism and Communism. In 2005, Buru Quartet reprinted by Lentera Dipantara and until now has been translated into 33 languages and spread around the world as a contribution to the World Indonesia. From here, Pramoedya was succeeding in his process of writing.

Criticism pragmatic view of literature as something built to achieve certain effects on the audience (listeners and readers), whether it be the effect of pleasure, and aesthetic, educational and other effects. These literary critics tend to judge a literary work by the success or failure of the work of achieving that goal. (Pradopo, 1995:26). Pragmatic, is the approach that tends the value of the work according to its success in achieving that aim. (Nurrachman, 2014:6). Pramoedya in his work Bumi Manusia succeed to present to Audience about the nationalism and tolerant of religion. “Berbahagialah dia yang makan dari keringatnya sendiri bersuka karena usahanya sendiri dan maju karena pengalamannya sendiri” (Pramoedya, 2011:59). That is the Virtuous Acts.

According to Ibnu Rushd in his commentary on Aristotle (Nurrachman, 2014:107) poetry is defined as art of praise and blame, based on representation of moral choice. This statement could we apply in this analysis of Bumi Manusia. Praise could we call it as a Virtuous Act. Another aspect of Ibnu Rushd’s claim, that a virtuous aspect must be moral choice, not more habit.

“Pribumi juga baik,” said Annelies. (Pramoedya, 2011:30) “Tamuku Islam,” said Annelies to her

servant. “Katakan di belakang sana, jangan sampai tercampur babi.” (Pramoedya, 2011:35). It is could be Humanity Values. Annelies as a host deserved her guest as a Muslim. These quotes contains of religious tolerance. This novel is filled of values, because this is certainly as a purpose of Pramoedya in his writing.

“Apa peduli diri ini berbahagia atau tidak? Kau yang kukuatirkan. Aku ingin lihat kau

berbahagia….,” said Nyai Ontosoroh to Annelies. (Pramoedya, 2011:109)

“Jadi kau pulang juga akhirnya, Gus. Syukur kau selamat begini,” diangkatnya daguku, dipandangnya wajahku, seperti aku seorang bocah empat tahun. Dan suaranya yang lunak

menyayang, membikin aku jadi terharu. Mataku sebak berkacakaca. Inilah bundaku yang dulu

juga, bundaku sendiri. (Pramoedya, 2011:188).

Based upon such expressions the writer could says that love is not only relationship between a male and a female are like Minke and Annelies. Moreover, it could be found in relationship between parents and their children are like Nyai Ontosoroh to Annelies or Minke towards his mother. Parents and children who love each other include to humanity values because love it is any of numbers of emotions related to a sense of strong affection and attachment. “Bunda, ampuni sahaya,” kataku (Minke) mengembik, bersujud di hadapannya dan mencium lututnya. “Tak tahulah aku mengapa tiba-tiba hati diserang rindu begini pada bunda.” (Pramoedya, 2011:188) Based on such expressions above we must respect to our parents, especially our mothers, like Minke. Most parents try to do the best to your future. Pramoedya in his work give us the course about virtuous act.

This Novel also gives us the course about learning. There is no reason to stop learning. It brings advantages in the world and the hereafter. In Qur’an surah Al Mujadalah: 11:

“Believers, make room in your assembles when you are bidden to do so. Allah will make room for you. Again, rise up when you are told to rise: Allah will raise to high ranks those that have faith and knowledge among you. He is cognizant of all your actions.”

“Bukan saja pandai juga baik hati. Dia yang mengajari aku segala tentang pertanian, perusahaan, pemeliharaan hewan, pekerjaan kantor. Mulamula diajari aku bahasa Melayu, kemudian membaca dan menulis, setelah itu juga bahasa Belanda. Papamu bukan hanya mengajar, dengan sabar juga menguji semua yang telah diajarkannya. Ia haruskan aku berbahasa Belanda dengannya. Kemudian diajarinya aku berurusan dengan bank, ahli-ahli hukum, aturan dagang, semua yang sekarang mulai kuajarkan juga padamu,” said Nyai Ontosoroh to Annelies. (Pramoedya, 2011:111) Diri ini sekarang segan mengapung pada permukaan. Maunya terus juga tenggelam pada dasar persoalan dalam setiap percakapan dan perbincangan. (Pramoedya, 2011:311) the writer conclude that learning knowledge is important in our life. If we are lazy, we could not face many problems in modern era. The expressions are in Minke’s effort to be a best student and Nyai ontosoroh’s spirit to learn about Dutch to increase her self esteem as a woman. From here we know that learning is like a movement of life.

Pramoedya also picked up the women revolution (Feminist movement) as a Humanity Values.

“Aku sendiri masih termanggu melihat perempuan meninggalkan dapur rumah tangga sendiri, berbaju-kerja, mencari penghidupan pada perusahaan orang, bercampur dengan pria” (Pramoedya, 2011:44) “Apa pekerjaanmu sesungguhnya?” “Semua, kecuali pekerjaan kantor. Mama sendiri yang lakukan itu.” Jadi Nyai Ontosoroh melakukan pekerjaan kantor. Pekrjaan kantor macam apa yang dia bisa? “Administrasi?” tanyaku coba-coba “semua. Buku, dagang, surat-menyurat, bank …” (Pramoedya, 2011:45)  wherever, women in 1898 is never have a power to lift up their degree as a human. Women just like a thing which not worthy. But here, Pramoedya  give the different way to view of women. Nyai ontosoroh as (illegal wife), is a rare portrait of the woman in that day, there are many other women who started working, although seen as odd by age, but the housekeeper not the person who set to work to do but it was he who set up a lot of people to work. Here, Pramoedya give to us about women revolution or movement.

That’s all about praise or virtuous actions in the Novel Bumi Manusia. Humanityn values, is reflected in the characters attempt to sue disparities humanity meets, also in his efforts to restore the dignity of humanity.

            While the virtuous, Pramoedya also give us about Moral values that have the vice. Vice is blaming and denigrating base and immoral deeds. But, beside immoral, Pramoedya always give the moral choice

The Natives such a Minke powerless to oppose slavery which he said have been abolished, but still evident around. With his pen name, Max Tollenaar, he voiced his dissatisfaction, wrote his thoughts in a Dutch language newspaper. Pramoedya give an idea to the reader of the strong influence of an article at the time. Posts may provoke a riot, make people who were expelled from school regained its place, making people see a different perspective in a drama of colonial life, encouraging even more people willing to die to defend the party they think is right. Minke are educated to understand the modern way of thinking in terms of social equality, which gained respect as a person deserving of thought is that brilliant or personality marvels, not because of the position it has. Minke break the culture of respect for a label stuck on that person, even if the label reads father. The necessity of the natives to receive all the words of an older person was not accepted by him. Respect actually earn (not given) and only through good manners, intelligence and wisdom that can be obtained.

“Jadi kau sudah menghina aku, darah raja! Suami ibuku! Baik, aku takkan menjawab. Teruskan, ayoh teruskan darah raja-raja Jawa! Kemarin kau masih mantri pengairan. Sekarang mendadak jadi bupati, raja kecil. Lecutkan cambukmu, raja, kau yang tak tahu bagaimana ilmu dan pengetahuan telah memulai babak baru di bumi manusia ini!” (Pramoedya, 2011:184) Minke was monologue in his heart, he med to his father but he also has the reason. He told that his father never know how the knowledge starts the new era.

Immoral values also are showed from the story of Nyai Ontosoroh, All walks of life punish the nyai as low moral level; all the nations: indigenous, European, Chinese and Arabic. It made him a grudge not only to his father he is also a grudge against his mother, who like many other indigenous women do not have the ability to protect their children even want. He punished them with no longer regard them as parents: do not want to see them, is unwilling to read and replay the mail even when his crying mother-petulant sulk wants to see her she just told.

 “Anggaplah aku hanya sebagai telornya yang telah jatuh dari peterangan. Pecah. Bukan telur yang salah” (Pramoedya, 2011:132). Nyai regard, it has been finished with the problems between her parents.

While the Immoral Values are showed from the quote when Magda peters was driven out by Government. “Akhirnya benar juga desas-desus itu. Pemerintah secara licik mengusir Magda Peters, walaupun dengan cara tak lansung dari Hindia. …” (Pramoedya, 2011:474) but Pramoedya wrote the implicit values that is moral value which told us that the Government must be fair toward human. Minke as a main character really commanded respect to Magda Peters as his teacher.

The other quotes about immoral values is “Ir. Maurits dan ibunya, bagaimanapun memang beralasan mendendam Herman Mellema. Apa kemudian nyatanya? Mereka tidak mendendam harta peninggalannya, bahkan menginginkan seutuhnya tanpa satu sen pun boleh lolos. Jadi: pada dasarnya mereka sudah mengharapkan kematian papa Annelies. Mereka sudah menyertai dan membenarkan perbuatan Ah Tjong dalam batin mereka. …” (Pramoedya, 2011:495)

All of them is the moral choice and immoral values that belonging to Praise and Blame or Virtuous and Vice. Humanityn values, is reflected in the characters attempt to sue disparities humanity meets, also in his efforts to restore the dignity of humanity. Last word from Pramoedya Ananta Toer “Kita kalah, Ma,” “Kita telah melawan, Nak, Nyo, sebaik-baiknya, sehormat-hormatnya.”

Reference:

Toer, Pramoedya Ananta. Bumi Manusia. 2011. Jakarta Timur: Lentera Dipantara.

Kaswardi. 1993. Pendidikan Nilai Memasuki Tahun 2000. Jakarta: Grasindo.

Linda. Eyre, Richard. 1997. Mengajarkan Nilai-Nilai Kepada Anak. Jakarta:

Gramedia.

Nurrachman, Dian. 2014. Classical Critical Theory: From Ancient Greek to Victorian England. Bandung: Pustaka Aura Semesta.

Pradopo, Rachmad Djoko. 1995. Beberapa Teori sastra, Metode Kritik dan Penerapannya. Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar.