32 meets his friends in Bumi Tarung, their Lekra friends are free to express their
opinion about Stalin, Manipol, Marxisme and Sosialist Realism to Bhisma and Amba. Bhisma does not object
to his friends’ opinions despite his knowledge of the real situation of Germany, the place where he studied. In front of his friend,
Bhisma chooses to keep his silence because he respects his friends’ opinions. He
opens to others’ point of view on Stalin. Only with Amba, he tells that he knows
about a real situation in Germany. He says to Amba, “That fool who founded you”. “He obviously doesn’t know, or doesn’t
want to know, that in Germany, in all of East Europe, Stalin is truly no more, died and buried six feet under his fatwa. And with him gone it is as
if a huge tumor was taken out of Germany’s skull” p. 276. Bhisma chooses to do it because of an unfriendly political situation,
especially a drastic change in Yogyakarta where a lot of chaoses occur to the suspected left wing people. Besides, he needs a place to sleep for some days with
Amba. He is bored with many theories of struggle and politics. He expresses it to Amba when Amba asks why he keeps his silence; he says “I was sick of the talk
about theory. Theories can be wrong, but not painting” p. 277. Therefore, Bhisma always keeps his silence and appreciates others’ opinions and ideas. He
knows well what he should do and say before taking a real action.
7. Reflective
Bhisma is a reflective man from his behaviour. He often spends his time talking to himself and staying in a quiet place, especially under a tree. Bhisma
realizes that people are already aware of it . He states, “They thought me distant,
solitary, closed- in” p. 453. It is supported by some of his close friends, for
33 example, Amba and Manalisa. Bhisma is well known to walk alone into a wood,
reflecting everything in his life. Furthermore, Bhisma likes to go to a quiet place where there are trees,
birds, and rivers. Since he studies in Leipzig until he lives in Buru, Bhisma likes to go to the forest alone. He enjoys nature and himself, even in a solitude. He
muses what he has faced. It is proven in his letter to Amba on 23 December 1973 in which he says, “By a tree, a bird, by watching the river. Things we know as
lovely become magnified, almost Godly, as you come close to them. He continues, “But, I’ve discovered that learning to rest in solitude is in itself a
religious experience” p. 468. Bhisma finds a peace in his life that helps him to think and reflect it deeply. Because of his reflection, he is encouraged to keep his
struggles.
B. The
Meanings of Bhisma’s Struggles 1.
The Meanings of Bhisma’s Struggles Using Marxism Theory
Bhisma is one of the major characters in the novel in this research. The researcher analyses Bhisma using Marxism theory because Bhism
a’s character has Marxism ideology in term of social, political, economic, philosophical, and
scientific aspects. Therefore, the focus on the study is using Marxism in social and political field. The meaning of Bh
isma’s struggles can be viewed from his letters buried in a tree and collected by his sister, Paramita.
Bhisma lives in two Indonesian regimes: Old Sukarno and New Suharto Order. Both of them have totally different policy. In the Old Order,
