31 Luxemburg. They do many activities together: watching movie, salivating books
that they cannot buy, and riding a bike during their study break. Besides, Bhisma has a good relation with some important and popular
people, particularly when he is in Germany. He tells Amba that in the summer he comes to the World Youth Festival which began in 1947 in Prague. He meets
Indonesian artist, he tells “The festival offered the chance to meet those great
Indonesian artists like Sudjojono, Hendra Gunawan, and Sunar di” p. 268. It
makes him forthcoming to live with many people from various backgrounds. Furthermore, Bhisma opens himself to a lot of young people. He has
friends from Lekra Lembaga Kebudayaan Rakyat , the Institute of People’s
Culture and CGMI Concentrasi Gerakan Mahasiswa Indonesia, the Unified Movement of Students of Indonesia. He is well accepted even he has a special
position from them. One of the evidences from his Lekra friends is when Bhisma with Amba come to Bumi Tarung, his friends welcome them. It is proven,
“A man with long frizzy silver hair rose and greeted them with open arms. He said,
genuinely surprised and happy to see Bhisma” p. 270. His Lekra friends allow him to stay in Bumi Tarung. Moreover, CGMI people respect Bhisma, mainly
Untarto, the leader of CGMI.
6. Open-Minded
Bhisma is an open-minded person. He opens himself to everything in accordance with his life principle. He does not follow others, but he stands on his
own belief. However, he is willing to listen to and accept different ideas from other people whom he meets. For instance, when he comes to Yogyakarta and
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
