Art Original

Salah Asuhan

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This abstract analyzes the socio-cultural complexities of colonial society in the Dutch East Indies through Abdoel Moeis’ seminal 1928 novel, Salah Asuhan (Wrong Upbringing). Set during the height of the ethical policy era, the narrative follows Hanafi, a Western-educated Minangkabau man who undergoes legal European assimilation (gelijkgesteld), leading to deep psychological alienation and the tragic rejection of his indigenous heritage, mother, and traditional wife, Rapiah. Through a critical literary analysis, this paper examines how the novel critiques the flaws of colonial education and the structural rigidity of both European colonial society and traditional Minangkabau adat (customary law). Hanafi’s doomed marriage to Corrie du Bus, a Eurasian woman, serves as a poignant metaphor for the impossibility of true cultural hybridity within a highly stratified racial hierarchy. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that Salah Asuhan is not merely a cautionary tale about losing one's roots, but a sophisticated critique of colonial modernity, highlighting the profound psychological displacement and identity crises experienced by the early 20th-century Indonesian intelligentsia.

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Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

4.810.0021.B.U

Publisher

Jakarta : BALAI PUSTAKA., 2013

Collation

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Language

Indonesia

ISBN/ISSN

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Classification

810

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

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Subject(s)

Kesusastraan Indonesia

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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