Senja di Jakarta
Encyclopedia
Senja di Jakarta is an Indonesian novel
written by Mochtar Lubis
and first published in English
by Hutchinson & Co.
in 1963
, with a translation by Claire Holt. It was later published in Indonesian in 1970.
, as ordered by the Sukarno
government. The manuscript was originally entitled Yang Terinjak dan Melawan (Those Who are Stepped On and Fight Back), but the title was changed during translation.
, they raise much money for themselves and the party.
At his father's urging, Suryono quits his job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and soon becomes rich. He also becomes very promiscuous, having sex
with high-class prostitutes, married women, and his own stepmother.
Meanwhile, honest government workers like Idrus are unable to compete. Idrus receives little compensation, and his materialistic wife Dahlia is having an affair
with Suryono. The wong cilik
, including prostitute Neneng, coachman Pak Ijo, and garbagemen Saimun and Itam live in hunger, ignored by the upper class
. Despite the inequality, academics and cultural observers do nothing but discuss the social woes; they never take action.
Eventually, opposition
newspapers uncover the corruption and fake companies used by the Indonesia Party. This causes the president to disband the cabinet
and some members of the Indonesia Party to join the opposition. Raden Kaslan is arrested, while Suryono and Fatma get into a car accident
while trying to escape; Suryono dies of his wounds. Despite the fall of the Indonesia Party, the poor still suffer.
as Twilight in Jakarta in 1963. From the English, it was translated into Dutch
as Schemer over Djakarta by P.H. Fruithof. In 1964, it was released in Malay
as Sendja di Djakarta. It was also translated into Italian
, Spanish
, and Korean
prior to being released in Indonesian
in 1970. Since then it has also been translated into Japanese
. Due to it originally being published in English, Senja di Jakarta has been described as Mochtar Lubis' best known work in the Western world.
Critical reception was warm. A. Teeuw considered it one of Mochtar Lubis' finer works, and Ajip Rosidi
later commented that the world press received it well. However, others such as M. Balfas described Senja di Jakarta as "[showing] that Mochtar Lubis' place is more in the world of newspapers and magazines than in that of literature proper."
Indonesian literature
Indonesian literature, is a term grouping various genres of South-East Asian literature.Indonesian Literature can refer to literature produced in the Indonesian archipelago. It is also used to refer more broadly to literature produced in areas with common language roots based on the Malay language...
written by Mochtar Lubis
Mochtar Lubis
Mochtar Lubis was an Indonesian Batak journalist and novelist who co-founded Indonesia Raya. His novel Senja di Jakarta was the first Indonesian novel to be translated into English. He was a critic of Sukarno and was imprisoned by him...
and first published in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
by Hutchinson & Co.
Hutchinson (publisher)
Hutchinson & Co. was an English book publisher, founded in 1887. The company merged with Century Publishing in 1985 to form Century Hutchinson, and was folded into the British Random House Group in 1989, where it remains as an imprint in the Cornerstone Publishing division...
in 1963
1963 in literature
The year 1963 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*First United States printing of John Cleland's 1749 novel, Fanny Hill . The book is banned for obscenity, triggering a court case by its publisher.*Leslie Charteris publishes his final collection of stories...
, with a translation by Claire Holt. It was later published in Indonesian in 1970.
Writing
Senja di Jakarta was written while Mochtar Lubis was under house arrestHouse arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
, as ordered by the Sukarno
Sukarno
Sukarno, born Kusno Sosrodihardjo was the first President of Indonesia.Sukarno was the leader of his country's struggle for independence from the Netherlands and was Indonesia's first President from 1945 to 1967...
government. The manuscript was originally entitled Yang Terinjak dan Melawan (Those Who are Stepped On and Fight Back), but the title was changed during translation.
Plot
Raden Kaslan, a member of the Indonesia Party, is told by the party leader Husin Limbara to raise funds for the next election. To do so, Kaslan creates fake companies to handle licensing the import of goods with his second wife Fatma, son Suryono and himself as directors. Through this fraudFraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, they raise much money for themselves and the party.
At his father's urging, Suryono quits his job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and soon becomes rich. He also becomes very promiscuous, having sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with high-class prostitutes, married women, and his own stepmother.
Meanwhile, honest government workers like Idrus are unable to compete. Idrus receives little compensation, and his materialistic wife Dahlia is having an affair
Infidelity
In many intimate relationships in many cultures there is usually an express or implied expectation of exclusivity, especially in sexual matters. Infidelity most commonly refers to a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity.Infidelity can occur in relation to physical intimacy and/or...
with Suryono. The wong cilik
Wong cilik
Wong Cilik means 'little people' in Javanese, the language of the Javanese people, Indonesia's largest ethnic group. It is a social class in traditional Javanese society that corresponds to commoners in medieval European societies, as opposed to priyayi, the elite, aristocratic class....
, including prostitute Neneng, coachman Pak Ijo, and garbagemen Saimun and Itam live in hunger, ignored by the upper class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
. Despite the inequality, academics and cultural observers do nothing but discuss the social woes; they never take action.
Eventually, opposition
Opposition (politics)
In politics, the opposition comprises one or more political parties or other organized groups that are opposed to the government , party or group in political control of a city, region, state or country...
newspapers uncover the corruption and fake companies used by the Indonesia Party. This causes the president to disband the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
and some members of the Indonesia Party to join the opposition. Raden Kaslan is arrested, while Suryono and Fatma get into a car accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
while trying to escape; Suryono dies of his wounds. Despite the fall of the Indonesia Party, the poor still suffer.
Themes
Senja di Jakarta has been seen as drawing a parallel of 1950s Indonesia, under Sukarno's reign. The corruption, immorality, and abuse of power of the ruling class caused poverty within the general populace. These same themes are seen throughout the novel.Release and reception
Due to Lubis' imprisonment, Senja di Jakarta was originally published by Hutchinson & Co.Hutchinson (publisher)
Hutchinson & Co. was an English book publisher, founded in 1887. The company merged with Century Publishing in 1985 to form Century Hutchinson, and was folded into the British Random House Group in 1989, where it remains as an imprint in the Cornerstone Publishing division...
as Twilight in Jakarta in 1963. From the English, it was translated into Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as Schemer over Djakarta by P.H. Fruithof. In 1964, it was released in Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
as Sendja di Djakarta. It was also translated into Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, and Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
prior to being released in Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
in 1970. Since then it has also been translated into Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
. Due to it originally being published in English, Senja di Jakarta has been described as Mochtar Lubis' best known work in the Western world.
Critical reception was warm. A. Teeuw considered it one of Mochtar Lubis' finer works, and Ajip Rosidi
Ajip Rosidi
Ajip Rosidi, born on 31 January 1938, in Jatiwangi, Majalengka, West Java, is an Indonesian poet and short story writer. As of 1983 he has published 326 works in 22 different magazines.-Biography:...
later commented that the world press received it well. However, others such as M. Balfas described Senja di Jakarta as "[showing] that Mochtar Lubis' place is more in the world of newspapers and magazines than in that of literature proper."