Andrea Hirata’s books are interesting because several
things.
First, he tells about an area life that almost
never enters
the Indonesia
literature knowledge, Belitong
Island. Andrea’s masterpieces
give the first information hand about life of Belitong’s society that
“suffers”.
Second, Andrea takes up an interesting theme about how a
child that was born and live in poverty, finally reach esteemed status by
continue his study in Europe. The meaning of these books is freshness social
and culture information from an area in Indonesia that during the time
disregarded.
By this masterpiece, Andrea introduce one part of Indonesia
that only known as tin producer, but people never know the meaning of the tin
mine for people in that island. Bangka Island, its neighbor, more known in
national by literature masterpiece, besides biographies story of figures that
were born in that island, for example Aidit. Authentic files in Andrea’s books
are very precious because he is the eyewitness, the person that experiencing
the entire story.
The problem, is all of that fact or fiction, or fact in
fiction? The publisher and also reviewers called his masterpieces as “novel”
that sure have fiction genre in literature. But, during the reading, I
assessing that Andrea’s books are intended as autobiography or memoir book from
a part of his life episode. This book has facts that experiencing of the
author.
The facts are full of miracle, how the poor children in the
barren island can have thinking that very bright and some of them success study
in Europe. Andrea is proud as Belitong poor
child success from his intelligence as modern people.
The books are full of flattery to his friends and teachers
that always want learn to improve their selves as clever people, have much
knowledge and educated in solving their problems. Miracle stories about their
superiorities are spread in his first book. The miracles that showed by his
friends in elementary school with their surprised creativity (for example, have
known Africa’s tribe with their culture), is
it happen in elementary school or junior high school? If he has in junior high
school, I can accept it in empiric assessment, but why the teachers of
elementary school (that adored by author) always still tailed? Are the teachers
also teaching in junior high school? The chaos of time between elementary
school and junior high school period is confusing me in understanding the
miracle of intelligence that showed by poorest school and underprivileged. The
author that has studied in Europe and read
many literature masterpieces tell all of that from his adult angle. Anachronism
between subject and object can happen. The events in children are explained in
human being contemporary metropolis. For example, in Sang Pemimpi, Ikal and
Arai are lost in Bogor
that ought to Ciputat. Both of them are surprised and greatly amassed
witnessing KFC restaurant that bright and there is no such kind of that in Belitong.
In the reality, this part never tell about Ciputat, even have contents that
summarize his life journey from work in Post Office while study in University
of Indonesia until he finish it. Here, the story is not consistent in mastering
time.
In some chapter or part have content detail of one event
only in hour or day, while in other chapter the detail in year. I surprised how
big figure of literature can give comment Andrea’s books in high praise and
promise as the born day of big author in present. If written in more clear
contemplation and arranged, his story substance can bear important masterpiece.
Hurrying in spilling successfulness story by enthusiasm and optimism which so
self confidence seen during near this time, he has write the serial of his
tetralogy after Laskar Pelangi burst in marketing.