Conflict of customs, traditions and social strata in a relationship between the love story of two lovebirds.

As if it was a very classic topic that happened in any part of the world. But still always attract attention,
for a writer to pour the love story in a literary work. One of the books that tells the story of the love
story of two lovebirds hit by customs, is the novel Sinking the Ship Van Der Wijck. Novels that can be
published as mega best seller novels, which have been published successfully several times were first
published. When discussing the novel Sinking the Van Der Wijck Ship, it will never be separated from the
figure of Prof. DR. H. Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah. The writer who has the pen name Hamka. He is a
scholar and active writer who has created many works, especially in the field of literature.

Hamka with a religious education background and expertise in writing. Successfully made legendary
literary works. He managed to concoct fictional stories wrapped in culture, using a true story about the
success of the Van Der Wijck ship. All conflicts that exist can give spirit to the novel. This replaces this
interesting novel to be enjoyed by readers while across generations.

Novel The Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship outlines the theme of the blue romance story. Tells about
the love relationship between the Minang-Bugis independence youth named Zainudin, and a flower of
the village of Asli Minang named Hayati. Their love story is hindered by differences in customs, tribes,
and traditions of the two figures. Zainudin's father's background was quite dark named Pandekar Sutan.
Make a decision to migrate to Makassar and marry Daeng Habibah, a Bugis tribe. This is actually the
beginning of the conflict in this novel.

Zainudin, who is a mixed-blooded Minang-Bugis, is considered to have no blood ties with his relatives in
Minang. Feeling alienated in their ancestral lands, Zainudin often poured out the contents of his life
through correspondence. When they take turns. Zainudin's condition that considered did not have the
proper social strata in the Minangkabau community. This is a separation wall that makes Zainudin and
Hayati unable to live together. Until fate destined Hayati to marry another man. The man was named
Aziz, a young man chosen by Hayati's family. Because he was a native of Minang from a respected
family. The fate that caused Zainudin to have to give up Hayati was edited by another man.

In this novel, the writer presents the reader about the knowledge and knowledge of the customs of the
Minang and Bugis tribes. Zainudin and Hayati.

A work of art can not only be judged as a work that only talks about beauty. But art can also be used as a
medium for conducting social criticism. Social criticism is about something that is considered not ideal
and is not absolute to follow. One of these artworks can be in the form of literature. A literary work is
the right way to convey social criticism. Against injustice, breaking into a conservative mindset, and
suggesting better change.
Hamka managed to slip his social criticism about human helplessness at that time, which seemed to feel
constrained by customary rules. Even the customary rules seem to be the joints of life that cannot be
contested. Until the issue of marriage, too, was bound by a series of very strict customary rules.

If we discuss the love story of different castes, social strata, ethnicity or religion. Sometimes the problem
about the difference is familiar. Almost in every region, they must have customary rules that regulate
the people who are binding, must submit, and obey the customary rules. The rule is indeed unwritten
and seems to have been ingrained and passed down from generation to generation.

Hamka who was born in the land of Minang really understood and understood well, that the rules on
the customs of his ancestors had been passed down for generations. Although in reality these rules
often impose the will of the people to inevitably follow the existing customary rules. If explored further,
in every tribe throughout the archipelago, there must be various rules. But there is one common thread
in every custom rule in various tribes. These rules are always binding on the community. Hamka also
knows very well that every human being has human rights to choose his way of life. In the novel "The
Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship", Hamka expressed all the anxiety that was experienced at that time
about the fairly strict rules of customs. Hamka also took the Minang tribe who had very strong customs,
to be used as a red thread on the novel.

Hamka managed to make a main character in the novel, which seemed to represent what happened and
experienced by most people, about the rules of customs. Which seems to rob human freedom to
determine with whom he wants to love and be loved.

Zainudin in the novel, seemed to bear the consequences of his married parents of different ethnic
groups who at that time was a prohibition. Zainudin's father, who was a Minang blooded young man.
Minang custom rules that adhere to the rules regarding maternal blood relations. While Mrs. Zainudin is
not a Minang person. This made him not recognized by blood ties by the Minang tribe, who were born
from a mother not a Minang tribe. The same is true for Zainudin's mother who was born from the Bugis
tribe. Bugis tribal rules that adhere to the rules regarding blood relations from the father's side.

Hamka managed to raise the issue of customary rules that went down from generation to generation.
The rule seems to be a bond for every indigenous community to comply with these rules. Hamka also
wrote in his book a social criticism implicitly. He created the figure of Zainudin who seemed to be the
embodiment of a child of both parents who married despite different tribes. The marriage of Zainudin's
parents seemed to violate the rules of the Minang and Bugis tribes. As a consequence, Hamka described
the response of the people who treated Zainudian badly. In fact, he must accept the rejection of the two
Minang and Bugis tribes, who did not recognize Zainudian as part of their tribe.
Zainudin's fate seemed to be thrown away by the family on the side of the father and mother. Being the
reason he can't get the girl he loves. Again, Hamka in her novel voiced social criticism implicitly. Social
criticism is about the mindset of parents in that era. Always judge someone from their origin,
possessions, and social strata that are an absolute requirement if someone wants to marry their child.
That reason makes Zainudin unable to do anything. With a broken heart he had to give up and let go of
his idol girl to marry another man.

In addition to the social criticism that Hamka expressed through his novel, he also gave a passion for life
to the readers. Through Zainudin's actions after Hayati left who had married another man. Hamka made
the readers aware of the fact of life, that humans can only plan in the end God determines it. When the
main character in the novel is not destined to live with his idol girl. The author presents an action of the
main character, about the struggle of life to rise in adversity. Amid the rubble of heartbreak, Zainudin
tried to get up to survive. And try to collect pieces of hope to continue to live life. He decided to migrate
to Java. Zainudin continued to hone his potential, through his writing skills. Until the success came to
him.

In this novel, everything Hamka has devoted to knowledge, life experiences, and views. About the life of
humans who practice the rules of customs, at that time regulated all human behavior. Hamka also
intelligently uses the events that occurred at that time. About the accident experienced by a ship Van
Der Wijck, which resulted in the ship sinking. The incident happened on October 21, 1936. The event
was put forward by Hamka to be the name of the title of this novel. As well as making the sinking of the
Van Der Wijck ship, the ultimate weapon that closes the love story of Zainudin and Hayati. With the
sinking of the Van Der Wijck, as if to drown the story of the romance of the two of them who were blue.

Novel Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship, greatly affects the reader. After reading the novel, it seemed
like it was evocative to ponder for a moment. About opening minds about rules in every custom. As time
changes, of course customary rules need to undergo change. A change does not mean having to change
the rules. But a change can continue and improve, customary rules that are irrelevant and not ideal to
implement. Along with the development of the times, it turns out that literary works seem to be a
reflection of society. Society has now opened their minds in improving their outlook on life. That change
can also be seen in the current Minangkabau people, who have begun to improve themselves and their
customs. They began to make changes about what traditions must be maintained and traditions that
must undergo change. A literary work, one of which is this novel. Can also influence people's mindsets.
The community also seems to be able to reflect on their lives through literary works.

Hamka's Literary work is not only the novel Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship. Another novel is Under
the Protection of the Ka'bah and Going to Deli. In the three novels Hamka adopted the same theme. The
theme of the love story of two lovebirds is hindered by differences in social strata, ethnicity, and
customs. When compared to the three novels. Novel Under the Protection of the Ka'bah, the theme of
the love story of two lovebirds is hindered because of differences in social strata in the same tribe.
Whereas in the novel Sinking the Van Der Wijck Ship and Merantau to Deli, tells the story of the love of
the main characters of different tribes and customs. Although in broad outline the three novels still tell a
love story that is hindered by differences, both differences from social strata or ethnic differences.

In the end Hamka's novels seemed to be a way for him to talk about the treatment in strict customary
rules. It seems to usurp human freedom in determining life, especially about freedom to marry with a
choice of heart.

In a literary work, it is strongly influenced by the author's socio-cultural setting. Hamka who is the
author of this novel. He was born from the Minangkabau tribe, he also lived in an era when the rules of
customs seemed to regulate all human behavior. Hamka lived in that period, not just perpetuating
history. But he also felt how the Minangkabau people practiced the customary rules. This makes all of
Hamka's novels strongly influenced by the socio-cultural setting in which he originated.

Interesting thing that makes this novel highly recommended to the younger generation today, to be a
list of novels that are worth reading. Hamka's ability to concoct fictional stories wrapped in culture using
real events, about the sinking of the ship Van Der Wijck. With all the conflicts that seemed to be able to
give spirit to the novel Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship. This is what makes the novel interesting, to be
enjoyed by readers even across generations. As well as the ability of the author to insert a moral
message and social criticism in this novel is conveyed subtly. Hamka managed to make good literature.
Where this literary work is able to provide enlightenment, understanding, the spirit of change, and
adding new insights to the reader. Permanently the writer does not seem to patronize and lecture with
teachings that seem dogma or doctrine.

All forms of human work, indeed will never escape the shortcomings. That is indeed the human nature
of every human being. Novel The Sinking of the Van Der Wijck Ship can be said to be 70 years old since it
was first published. The time difference from the first was published until this review was made quite
far. When read by the current generation. There are several language structures that are conveyed in
the novel, not easily understood. Especially during the course of time, Indonesian literature experienced
many changes. The changes are about the rules of writing. The delivery language at that time was
dominated by Malay language, which not everyone mastered the language. As well as some classical
literary vocabulary, it is not easily understood by the younger generation today.

Indeed literary works can be a way to criticize the occurrence of social inequalities, even things that are
no longer ideal and no longer relevant. Through literature it seems to be a bridge of time, about various
events that occur in human life from time to time. What can be known by the next generation by
reading it, appreciating it, and taking lessons contained in it. So it is expected that there will be a change
in human attitudes and behavior, leading to better things from time to time.