Ecological Criticism in the Pastoral Narrative Luka Perempuan Asap by Nafi'ah al-Ma’rab

Abstract

There has recently been a growing concern about the ecological crisis, which is particularly evident in Indonesia’s escalating environmental degradation. Recognizing the pivotal significance of the environment in sustaining human existence, Indonesian writer Nafi'ah al-Ma'rab eloquently articulates the profound neglect and apathy towards environmental concerns in her novel Luka Perempuan Asap. Through a meticulous examination of the ecological crisis within the oil palm plantation settings of Riau, the novel serves as a primary data source for this study aimed at delineating the ecological criticism and pastoral narratives embedded within its narrative fabric. Employing a qualitative approach, the researchers adopted both a pastoral narrative and ecocritical perspectives to scrutinize the text. The findings reveal the deleterious consequences of deforestation on oil palm cultivation depicted in Luka Perempuan Asap, manifesting in various calamities such as pollution, habitat loss, fauna extinction, and the exacerbation of global warming. The novel elucidates diverse attitudes towards environmental conservation, including reverence for nature as a source of peace, love, friendship, harmonious living, and conscientious stewardship, as well as proactive measures humans can take to safeguard the environment, as demonstrated by its protagonist characters. Moreover, Luka Perempuan Asap is a poignant reminder of the imperative to protect the environment and caution against heedless exploitation. It underscores that undue aggression towards nature engenders multifaceted adversities, harming the environment and its inhabitants.