The Transmission of Trauma: Post-Memory entangled Dimas Suryo and Lintang Utara In Leila Chudori's Pulang Novel

Abstract

The novel Pulang by Leila S. Chudori represents the experience of political exile following the 1965 tragedy, which profoundly affects the psychological conditions of its characters. This study aims to analyze the forms of psychological trauma experienced by the character Dimas Suryo as a political exile, as well as the impact of such trauma on Lintang Utara as the second generation. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method with a psychoanalytic and trauma studies approach, particularly focusing on the concept of generational trauma or postmemory. The data were obtained through an in-depth reading of the novel, examining its narrative, dialogues, and psychological descriptions of the characters. The findings indicate that Dimas Suryo experiences trauma in the form of anxiety, a loss of identity, and inner conflict resulting from alienation and his inability to return to his homeland. This trauma does not end with him, but is transmitted generationally to Lintang Utara through family memories, historical narratives, and the father–child relationship. As a result, Lintang Utara experiences an identity crisis and existential anxiety as manifestations of generational trauma, despite not directly experiencing the traumatic events. The implication of this study is that generational trauma is transmitted from Dimas Suryo to Lintang Utara, influenced by familial and nationalistic factors.