Summary of “Cantik Itu Luka”

Summary of “Cantik Itu Luka”

Author     : Eka Kurniawan
Pages       : 480 pages
Publisher : Jendela and Yogyakarta Culture Academy
Year         : 2002  

             This story starts from the resurrection of Dewi Ayu from the grave after her death twenty one years ago. It makes villagers come and surround her tomb. They cannot believe that the woman who have become a prostitute since war period live again. She walks to her house. She still remembers the way to the house and the house itself. In the house she found a girl, an ugly girl. She is twenty years old. Later Dewi Ayu realized that she is her daughter whose her name is Cantik although she is really ugly. The story continues from the past discussing about the origins of Dewi Ayu. Dewi Ayu is a Java-Dutch mulatto her grandmother is from Java Ma Iyang and her grandfather is from Dutch Ted Stammler. Dewi Ayu is a daughter result of forbidden love between Henri Stammler and Aneu Stammler. Afterwards Dewi Ayu grows become beautiful girl in Halimunda during colonialism era. When Netherlands fall and Japan overrun Indonesia, all of Dewi Ayu family has been killed except her. Then Japan arrests her and forces her to be a slut for Japanese soldier until she was pregnant and gave birth a daughter named Alamanda. After Japan has been fallen, and republic was established, she decided to be a streetwalker for Mama Kalong until gave birth three daughters Adinda, Maya Dewi, and Cantik. The next story tells about the life of Dewi Ayu’s daughters that ends tragically.

Analysis

Type of Literary Work

Cantik itu Luka (CIL) is a magic realism literary work. Magic realism is a method that mixes fantasy elements and narrative realism, joining legends, and myths with the historical events(Encyclopedia Britannica). Pay attention to these quotations:

“Sore hari di akhir pekan bulan Maret, Dewi Ayu bangkit dari kuburan setelah dua puluh satu tahun kematian. Seorang bocah gembala dibuat terbangun dari tidur siang di bawah pohon kamboja, kencing di celana pendeknya sebelum melolong, dan keempat dombanya lari di antara batu dan kayu nisan tanpa arah bagaikan seekor macan dilemparkan ke tengah mereka”.

The author wants to emphasize that CIL is a fairy tale with the resurrection of Dewi Ayu also the story about a pig that turn into a human called babi ngepet and the communist ghosts. Moreover, however, CIL also cite historical facts: world war, Japan colonization, established of republic, the rebellion of Indonesian Communist Party, and Petrus. Although the data is uncompleted also state that CIL is a realism literary work.

The City of Halimunda

CIL tells about the history of Halimunda through this citation

“Jauh sebelum itu Halimunda hanyalah sebuah hamparan rawa-rawa dan hutan berkabut luas tanpa pemilik. Seorang putri dari generasi terakhir Pajajaran melarikan diri ke daerah itu, memberinya nama, dan beranak-pinak menjadikannya perkampungan-perkampungan”. (p.45)

The author cannot give actual information about the imaginer city of Halimunda makes a blur imagery and cannot give special impression.

The Confusing Story

Appearance of some characters unexpectedly confused the readers. I often lose several moments when read one character to others. For example when Maman Gendeng comes to the Military Base in Halimunda because he is angry Dewi Ayu is forced to serve Shodancho makes some clumsy. Shodancho is mad because threatened by a stranger (p.131) Whereas Shodancho watches the fight between Maman Gendeng and Edi Idiot? (p.122) he supposed to be know who is Maman Gendeng.