LITERATURE AS AN ARENA OF POWER: CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF POWER AND RESISTANCE IN THE NOVELS “LARUNG” AND “CANTIK ITU LUKA”

Abstract

This study explores the themes of power and resistance in two significant Indonesian novels, Cantik Itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan and Larung by Ayu Utami. Situated in the post-reform era of Indonesia, these literary works serve as critical sites where socio-political issues such as colonialism, patriarchy, militarism, and resistance are interrogated and reimagined. By applying Norman Fairclough’s framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research examines how the novels’ language, narrative structures, and socio-cultural contexts collectively construct and challenge prevailing power dynamics. The analysis reveals that both novels function beyond mere reflection of Indonesia’s socio-political landscape; they actively produce counter-discourses that resist hegemonic ideologies. Through their complex characters and subversive storytelling techniques, the texts question dominant narratives, especially those related to gender inequality and authoritarian control. The findings demonstrate that these works symbolically oppose systemic oppression by highlighting nuanced interactions between resistance and power. Ultimately, this study argues that literature in postcolonial Indonesia plays a vital role as a medium of cultural and political critique. The novels by Kurniawan and Utami exemplify how fiction can articulate forms of resistance that challenge and deconstruct established power structures, thereby contributing meaningfully to ongoing debates about identity, history, and emancipation in Indonesian society.