REWRITING THE NATION: PRAMOEDYA AND THE POLITICS OF DECOLONIZATION

Abstract

THE FAILURE OF THE INDEPENDENT NATION-STATE IN INDONESIA TO TRANSFORM THE COLONIAL SYSTEM WAS PARTLY ROOTED IN THE LACK OF IMAGINATION, PARTICULARLY THE SENSE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATION AS A COMMON PROJECT FOR LIBERATION. IT IS IN THE REALM OF LITERATURE WHERE ATTEMPTS TO CREATE SUCH POLITICAL IMAGINATION WERE MADE. THIS THESIS IS A STUDY OF HOW PRAMOEDYA ANANTA TOER CHALLENGES BOTH THE COLONIAL AND POST-COLONIAL IMAGINATION THROUGH HIS HISTORICAL NOVELS, AND BY DOING SO OFFERS ALTERNATIVE IMAGINATION OF THE INDONESIAN NATION.