Kritik Sosial dalam Kumpulan Cerpen Negeri Kabut karya Seno Gumira Ajidarma

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines social criticism in the short story collection Negeri Kabut by Seno Gumira Ajidarma using a literary sociology approach. The research is motivated by the relationship between literary works as reflections of social realities capable of conveying criticism of various societal issues. The objective of this study is to describe the depiction of social criticism contained in the short story collection. The method employed is qualitative descriptive, with data collection techniques including library research, reading, and note-taking. The primary data source of this research is the text of the Negeri Kabut short story collection. Data analysis utilizes the interactive model by Miles and Huberman, which includes data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results reveal six forms of social criticism within the collection: criticism of poverty, characterized by begging and small-scale farming; crime, represented by acts of murder and theft; environmental issues, manifested through the exploitation of nature and animals; warfare, illustrated by acts of violence and massacres; violations of social norms, exemplified by prostitution; and bureaucracy, indicated by unilateral policy actions. These social criticisms are portrayed through depictions of various social phenomena in Indonesian society with an imaginative and reflective narrative style. The conclusion asserts that Negeri Kabut functions not only as fictional literary work but also as a sharp instrument of social criticism addressing multiple social problems, thus serving as a medium for social reflection and control. Keywords: Social Criticism, Literary Sociology, Short Story Collection