Nurhamelia

1205030166

V–D

THE USEFUL AND PLEASURE IN THE NOVEL PULANG BY

LEILA S. CHUDORI

Literature is a product of recorded language whose purpose is to

be conveyed to others. The birth of a true literary work to be enjoyed

either by oneself or anyone who sees, hears or reads it (Lafamane,

2020). Even though it is only through a work which incidentally is in

the form of fiction, literary works are able to raise awareness from

individuals about the truth of life. In Sanskrit, literature has its own

definition, namely a text that contains "teaching" or "guidelines"

(Nuryusticia et al., 2020). In addition to having an "ethical" element, a

literary work must also have an "aesthetic" element to be called a good

literary work. Literature has beauty and benefits for its readers (Slamet,

2018). Literary works are intended for readers, so literary works that

are present for these readers become a communication of the

relationship between literary works and their readers. True readers are

human beings who certainly have different backgrounds that can also

capture different impressions, meanings, and benefits from a literary

work. Then, the reader's way of capturing messages is with a literary

work approach, namely a pragmatic approach. A literary study

specifically discusses the role of readers in receiving, understanding,

and living literary works (Ikhwan, 2021). This approach refers to the

reader that the success of a work is measured by the reader. How much

can the reader learn from the work.

The Pulang novel by Leila S. Chudori has stories about the lives

of a group of people in several settings who have various values in life,

contemplation, and learning about human nature. A novel that tells the

story of family life, the friendship of a former exiled political prisoner

trying to survive in another country, love and politics. The background

is the dark history of the 30 September 1965 Movement, the 1998

Reformation in Indonesia and France in May 1968. This novel also has

a beautiful linguistic structure that can make some readers imagine

freely and feel drawn into the story when reading.

Departing from the concept of literature which has "aesthetic"

and "ethical" values: in it, it can be interpreted that a literary work is

capable of "pleasing" and "teaching" its readers. This is in accordance

with the theory described in (Nurrachman, 2017), “He who combines

the useful and the pleasing wins out by both instructing and delighting
the reader”. This theory is a theory of literary criticism put forward by

Horace. In other words, in Horace's theory, there are substitute terms

for what is called "fun" and "teaching" from literary works. The term

Utile et Dulce is a familiar term among literary critics in various parts

of the world. Utile et Dulce theory is used to analyze and criticize the

novel Pulang by Leila S. Chudori.

“Hampir di setiap butik, Dior, Lacroix, Celine, aku melihat

serombongan perempuan Indonesia bersasak, berbaju mewah

dengan sya; berjuntai. Dari jauh aku bahkan bisa melihat kilau

kalung atau cicin berlian yang mereka kenakan. Kali pertama

melihat ‘titik Indonesia’ ini beberapa tahun lalu, aku takjub,

karena belum pernah aku melihat begitu banyak harta yang

dikenakan oleh satu tubuh.” (Chudori, 2012)

In this quote for me personally it becomes a lesson that many

Indonesian people have a consumptive habit and prioritizing personal

gain. Even though the time setting when the quote was told, maybe not

many Indonesians are like that. However, nowadays it is a lesson for

me not to be someone who is selfish not to see that there are still many

people who under the word "enough" to have wealth. Especially during

the New Orde era, Indonesia's political climate was still hot. And now
the reality is that Indonesia's welfare is still not evenly distributed. This

quote is a lesson for me to remember reality according to the quote in

the book (Nurrachman, 2017), “Fiction invented in order to please

should remain close to reality.”.

“Bagaimana dia tahu, selama ada Saidah marabahaya apa pun

akan selalu bisa diatasi. “Termasuk soal aku dipindahkan ke

bagian pemasaran,” Bang Amir akhirnya masuk ke teritori tabu

itu. “Aku salat dan bersyukur Tuhan memberikan Saidah di

sampingku, Mas. Tanpa dia, aku akan jadi kapal oleng. Dengan

dia, aku bisa tenang dan seimbang.” (Chudori, 2012)

“Saya percaya, Allah memberi rizki kepada saya dengan

menyisakan sepetak ruang kecil di hati hamba-Nya. Dalam

sepetak ruang suwung, sebuah gelembung kekosongan, yang

hanya diisi antara saya dan Dia, di sinilah saya selalu mencoba

memahami apa yang terjadi, Dimas.” (Chudori, 2012)

The structure of the language and the beautiful choice of words

in this quote provide both pleasure and learning for me. Like a quote in

a book (Nurrachman, 2017), “He who combineds the useful and the

pleasing wins out by both instructing and delighting the reader.”. How

could I not, that I agree with Bang Amir's warm words that I can quote,
namely fortune will always be provided by God when we feel grateful

for everything we have. Fortune is also not only about material things.

Health, wife/husband, parents, friends who love us are also a fortune as

described in the quote above. As Muslims, every change that occurs in

our lives, must make Allah SWT a place of return for us to complain

and surrender. Which is where I agree with the way we return to what

Bang Amir said, creating a patch of suwung space and a bubble of

emptiness that is filled between ourselves and God.

This quote also makes the literary work of Leila S. Chudori's

novel 'Pulang' a good and good piece of writing in my opinion. Like

what Horace said in the book (Nurrachman, 2017), "In all good writing

the source and fountain is wisdom.”. What Bang Amir did and said to

the character Dimas Suryo is a behavior that reflects wisdom, which I

can also learn from.

“Tak peduli dengan keburukan suaranya, dia selalu yang

tergopoh-gopoh menyumbang suara jika ada acara kumpul-

kumpul di Kantor Berita Nusantara. Mas Hananto dan Risjaf

mampu memainkan alat musik. Mas Han bisa memetik gitar,

Risjaf mahir meniup harmonika dan suling, sedangkan suaraku

yang berat tidak buruk amat. Tjai dan Mas Nug sama-sama tak
 paham nada dan notasi. Bedanya, Tjai tahu kelemahannya, Mas

Nug tak tahu diri. Setiap melihat mikrofon, dia kelojotan seperti

memandang perempuan bahenol. Dengan rasa percaya diri

yang tinggi, kemampuan memijit dan akupunktur yang

dipelajari selama terdampar di Peking, ditambah kumis bak

Clark Gable, Mas Nug merasa cukup modal untuk selalu

optimistik. Dia satu-satunya yang percaya kami bisa mengatasi

segala kesulitan di dunia. Inilah jiwa yang kami butuhkan di

tengah kerasnya hidup sebagai orang-orang tak bertanah air.”

(Chudori, 2012)

From the excerpt from the novel 'Pulang' by Leila S. Chudori

above, I learned a lesson from a character who is often called Mas Nug.

Optimism will always be needed in life to continue to survive in all

situations that confront. With the example of a novel that tells the life

of surviving without direction, these political exiles at least make me

think, whoever he is, whether he is a convict or an ex-convict or just a

devout citizen, must have had the toughest times in his life, he must

have found it difficult to get up, not to mention if we have to survive

outside our own homeland. But seeing how Mas Nug is so optimistic,

makes me feel that I have to instill a sense of optimism in myself as

early as possible. Like the life story of a motivator that many people

know, Merry Riana.

“Si Telunjuk, Si Telunjuk datang.”

Aku terkesiap. Tukang Tunjuk atau Si Telunjuk adalah julukan

bagi seseorang yang lebih rendah daripada kotoran parit. Nama

aslinya adalah Sumarno Biantoro.

Telunjuknya digunakan untuk menunjuk mereka yang masuk

kelompok kiri dalam semua organisasi kesenian di Indonesia.

Perburuan terhadap Mas Hananto akhirnya berhasil setelah

tiga tahun, kata - nya, berkat Sumarno Biantoro yang tahu betul

tempat persembunyian (bekas) kawan-kawannya.” (Chudori,

2012)

From this quote, I realize again to continue to be careful with

others. For me it's not wrong to do good without expecting anything in

return, it's really noble. However, in my opinion, as a rational human

being, this mind must continue to be formed for all kinds of vigilance

in life. Likewise, about knowing someone's personality and character.

Because there are so many human models for Sumarno's character on

this earth. This novel quote really gives conditions as reality occurs, as

in the quotations in the book (Nurrachman, 2017), “Fiction invented in

order to please should remain close to reality.”. Even though this is just

a novel, it is able to present an atmosphere that is close and feels real.

“Aku merasa zaman harusnya sudah berubah. Sudah terlalu

lama kita dipenjara oleh soal politik masa lalu. Seperti kau,

Lintang, kami semua kan generasi baru yang lahir jauh sesudah

tahun 1965. We have brains, we have our own minds, mengapa

harus didikte.”

From this quote, I learned that as a young generation, it is clear

that their age, let alone their thoughts, are no longer old. what youth

should do is make a change in this broken and chaotic world. the times

are advancing, knowledge is increasing, we are smart about dealing

with all of life's trials. but this has also taught me another lesson that

the best rational sense we use should not forget the essence of the heart

to continue to sympathize with others. this quote really gives me

learning in a flexible way as Horace said that good literature is made by

a writer who combines pleasure and use for the reader.

“Dalam sekejap aku baru mengerti: perayaan Hari Kartini

tidak ada urusannya dengan Raden Ajeng Kartini atau cita-cita

 yang tertuang dalam surat-suratnya. Perayaan Kartini yang

kuhadiri ini adalah acara kumpul-kumpul, makan-makan,

berkebaya, bersasak tinggi, dan berkemeja batik. Sudah lebih

dari sejam aku berbincang dengan para tamu, tak ada satu pun

yang menyinggung perempuan Jepara yang hari kelahirannya

sudah ditahbiskan sebagai salah satu hari penting Indonesia.

Aku mulai bertanya-tanya, apakah sebetulnya mereka yang

merayakan Kartini ini sudah membaca surat-suratnya dan

memahami problem pendidikan yang dikemukakan perempuan

Jawa itu, yang pemikirannya sudah maju pada zamannya.”

Sesuai dengan konsep Utile et Dulce Horace di dalam buku

(Nurrachman, 2017), “The aim of the poet is to inform or delight, or to

combine together, in what he says, both pleasure and applicability to

life. In instructing, be brief in what you say in order that your readers

may grasp it quickly and retain it faithfully.”. For me, this novel quote

provides information that many national holiday celebrations abroad

are mostly limited to the celebration, without a significant artistic or

historical context. As we also know, many celebrations of R.A. Kartini

in the country that has often happened, usually in schools. The

celebration only contains a series of traditional dance events, using

traditional Javanese clothing. The rest are just competitions about

fashion, women and cooking. Maybe there are some poetry reading

contests. Even though I think this big national event should be used as a

form of women's awareness of equal opportunities between men and

women in the modern era, especially in the field of education, and in

general in all fields. The lesson I can take from this quote is none other

than helping change the traditions of the Indonesian people to be more

aware of the true meaning of a National Holiday. In particular,

Indonesian ambassadors to other countries should be able to better

reflect the aims and objectives of Indonesia's history.

There are also some quotes that I think are just for fun when I

read them based on my interest.

“Ketiga dara cantik itu adalah bunga yang membuat Jakarta

menjadi bercahaya. Ningsih adalah setangkai mawar merah

dengan rona yang mencolok dan menggetarkan jantung lelaki.

Rukmini adalah anggrek ungu yang tak pudar oleh segala

musim. Sedangkan Surti Anandari, dia adalah bunga melati

putih yang meninggalkan harum pada bantal dan seprai. Lelaki

mana pun yang jatuh hati padanya tak lagi bisa berfungsi tanpa

bertemu dengannya.” (Chudori, 2012)

 I feel pleasure when reading this quote because besides the

visual imagery that is made so beautifully, for some reason when

reading it feels fun and beautiful. Even when I have to read it again, I

don't feel bored. Always presented with visual imagery that

immediately feels and imagines its beauty. This novel quote

corresponds to Horace's concept in the book (Nurrachman, 2017),

“Poetry is like painting. One work will please you more if you stand

farther away. One shows more to advantage when seen in the shadow;

another, unafraid of the sharp view of the critic, ought to be viewed in

the light. One will please only once; the other, though looked at ten

times, will continue to please.”.

In conclusion, Horace's theory that literary works must be able

to provide things that are both useful and enjoyable for readers, in my

opinion, is in line with the novel 'Pulang' by Leila S. Chudori. Nothing

but that for me there are lots of fun learning and stories to read and

understand. What I think is the aspect of Utile et Dulce in this novel

can easily attract the soul and mind of the reader.

 REFERENCES

Chudori, L. S. (2012). PULANG. Grafika Mardi Yuana.

Ikhwan, W. K. (2021). Pendekatan Pragmatik Dalam Novel Negari

Para Bedebah Karya Tere Liye. Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Dan

Sastra Indonesia Metalingua, 6(1), 1–6.

https://doi.org/10.21107/metalingua.v6i1.10546

Lafamane, F. (2020). Karya Sastra Puisi, Prosa, Drama). OSF

Preprints, 1–18.

Nurrachman, D. (2017). Introduction to Crticism (D. Nurrachman, M.

D. Purwanto, & P. Priyawan (eds.)). Pustaka Aura Semesta.

Nuryusticia, E., Sukawati, F., & Sakinah, R. M. N. (2020). THE

CONCEPT OF DECORUM, UTILE ET DULCE, AND

RELIGIOUS ASPECTS IN KUNTOWIJOYO’S KHOTBAH DI

ATAS BUKIT NOVEL. MAHAKARYA, 1(2).

Slamet, Y. B. M. (2018). Fungsi dan Peran Karya Sastra dari Masa ke

Masa. PRAXIS, 1(1), 24–40.

https://doi.org/10.24167/praxis.v1i1.1609