Power and Subordination in the Novel “Bunga Roos dari Tjikembang”: An Interdiciplinary Approach of Intersectionality, Neuropsychology, and Social Ecology

Abstract

Literature serves as a mirror reflecting the social, cultural, and psychological dynamics of humanity. Bunga Roos dari Tjikembang, as one of Indonesia’s iconic literary Works, offers a profound narrative to explore these themes. This research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between authority and subordination through the broader lenses of intersectionality, neuropsychology, and social ecology, thereby introducing a more interdisciplinary approach and enriching readers’ understanding of social dynamics in classic literature. This study employs a qualitative approach using textual analysis methods. Data collection is conducted through critical reading of the novel, focusing on text segments that reveal authority relations, social inequalities, and the psychological experiences of characters. Additionally, secondary data, including journal articles, theoretical books, and relevant literature reviews, are utilized to reinforce the analysis and establish a robust theoretical foundation. The findings reveal that the lives of the "Nyai" and the character Marsiti epitomize authority imbalances shaped by gender, ethnicity, and class. This subordination subjects indigenous women to layered oppression, stripping them of autonomy in determining their destinies. A neuropsychological approach highlights the effects of trauma, subjugation, and discrimination on the psychological states of the characters. The social pressures they endure trigger chronic stress, a sense of helplessness, and emotional wounds that ripple through their lives and subsequent generations. The perspective of social ecology illustrates how Marsiti’s subordination as an indigenous woman is constructed through micro-, meso-, and macro-level interactions within colonial society. Despite her marginalization, the symbol of the magnolia flower represents Marsiti’s resilience and emotional contributions, which persist in collective memory as a testament to her resistance against patriarchal norms.

Keywords

• power
• subordination
• intersectionality
• neuropsychology
• social ecology

Bunga Roos dari Tjikembang" Romanında İktidar ve Boyun Eğme: Kesişimsellik, Nöropsikoloji ve Sosyal Ekoloji Disiplinlerarası Bir Yaklaşım

Öz

Edebiyat, insanlığın sosyal, kültürel ve psikolojik dinamiklerini yansıtan bir ayna işlevi görür. Endonezya’nın ikonik edebi eserlerinden biri olan Bunga Roos dari Tjikembang, bu temaların derinlemesine incelenmesine olanak tanıyan güçlü bir anlatı sunar. Bu araştırma, otorite ve boyun eğme arasındaki etkileşimi kesişimsellik, nöropsikoloji ve sosyal ekoloji çerçevelerinden kapsamlı bir şekilde analiz etmeyi amaçlayarak, daha disiplinlerarası bir yaklaşım sunmakta ve klasik edebiyattaki sosyal dinamiklere dair okuyucunun anlayışını zenginleştirmektedir. Çalışma, nitel bir yaklaşım benimsemekte olup metin analizi yöntemine dayanmaktadır. Veri toplama, romandaki otorite ilişkilerini, sosyal eşitsizlikleri ve karakterlerin psikolojik deneyimlerini ortaya koyan metin bölümlerine odaklanan eleştirel okuma yoluyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Ayrıca, analizleri desteklemek ve sağlam bir kuramsal zemin oluşturmak amacıyla akademik makaleler, kuramsal kitaplar ve ilgili literatürden oluşan ikincil veriler de kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, "Nyai" figürü ve Marsiti karakterinin yaşamlarının, cinsiyet, etnisite ve sınıf tarafından şekillenen otorite dengesizliklerini temsil ettiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu boyun eğme hali, yerli kadınları çok katmanlı bir baskıya maruz bırakmakta ve kaderlerini belirleme konusunda onları özerklikten yoksun bırakmaktadır. Nöropsikolojik yaklaşım, travma, tahakküm ve ayrımcılığın karakterlerin psikolojik durumları üzerindeki etkilerini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu karakterlerin maruz kaldığı toplumsal baskılar, kronik stres, çaresizlik hissi ve yaşamlarına ve gelecek nesillere yansıyan duygusal yaralar üretmektedir. Sosyal ekoloji perspektifi ise, Marsiti’nin yerli bir kadın olarak marjinalleştirilmesinin, sömürgeci toplumun mikro, mezo ve makro düzeylerindeki etkileşimlerle nasıl inşa edildiğini göstermektedir. Marjinalleştirilmesine rağmen, manolya çiçeği sembolü Marsiti’nin direncini ve duygusal katkılarını temsil eder; bu katkılar ataerkil normlara karşı bir direnişin sembolü olarak kolektif bellekte yaşamaya devam etmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• İktidar
• boyun eğme
• kesişimsellik
• nöropsikoloji
• sosyal ekoloji

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