1. Identify the relationship between literature and society!

Answer: the relation of literature with the community is a reciprocal, according to Soemanto this
awareness arises the understanding that literature has a certain degree of mutual relations with the
community ; and literary sociology seeks to examine the relationship between literature and the reality
of society in its various dimensions (Soemanto, 1993). This proves that literature does not just emerge,
it is from society that literature emerges and from literary conscious society. According to Damono
(1978: 3-4) classifies the interrelationship between writers, literature and society, which as a whole is
the following chart:

1. The author's social context. This relates to everything related to the author, for example: where
he lives, how his environment. This certainly can affect the content of a literary work
2. Literature as a mirror of society; the extent to which literature can represent the
community itself . Literature is expected to make a person / society aware of their own
environment.
3. The social function of literature. Examine the extent to which literary values are
related to social values and the extent to which literary values are influenced by social values.
This means similar as explained by Wellek and Warren (1976) that: Literature is a social institution,
using as its medium language, a social creation. They are conventions and norms which could have arisen
only in society. But, furthermore, literature 'represent' 'life'; and 'life' is, in large scale, a social reality,
eventhough the natural world and the inner subjective world of the individual have also been
objects of literary 'imitation' . The poet himself is a member of society, possessed of a specific social
status; he recieves some degree of social recognition and reward; he addresses an audience, however
hypothetical . (1976: 94).

2. identification of literary works as socio-cultural documents!

Literature as considered as a cultural document because literature itself was born from a society that
refers to social, while social interaction itself will produce a culture. Culture at a certain time will
produce literature. Therefore literature will not be born without social and cultural existence. Junus
(1986) argues that what is discussed in the study of literary sociology is that literary works are seen as
socio-cultural documents. Literature can be seen as a socio-cultural document that records the socio-
cultural reality of a society at a particular time. This approach starts from the assumption that literary
works are not born from a cultural vacuum . However literary works that reflect the community and
inevitably prepared by the state of society and the forces of his day. Goldmann (1980) says that writers
observe life that happens to society and then write it, understand it and move it into literary work.

3. identify the influence of socio-culture on the creation of literary works!

Literary works cannot be separated from the environment or culture in which he was born. Because
literary works are a reflection of social reality that does not just come down from the sky
because everything has a reciprocal relationship. Therefore, literary works cannot be separated from
the life in which the place / environment was born. Grebstein (1968: 161-169) whose contents include,
among others, conclusions including literary works which cannot be completely understood if they are
separated from the environment or culture that has produced them, the ideas contained in literary
works are as important as the form and technique of writing, each work that can last long is essentially a
moral, society can approach literary works from two directions, namely as a special material
force and as a tradition, besides that literary criticism should be more than a selfless aesthetic
reflection, and finally literary critics are responsible both to the literature of the past as well as
of literature to come .
4. Identify the reception of literary works to certain authors!
Acceptance of literary works to certain authors depends on the response of readers according to Teeuw
(in Pradopo 2007: 207) asserts that reception (reception or reception of the reader) is included in the
pragmatic orientation. Literary work was born because it aims to sensitize (reflect) a narrower society
of readers. Therefore, the reader can determine the meaning and value of literary works, so that literary
works have value because there are readers who provide value.

5. Identify the application of genetic structuralism work approaches

Genetic structuralism is a way to analyze literary works by finding out the origins of literary works
themselves. According to Goldmann there are 3 stages in conducting literary research using genetic
structuralism theory, including the following:

1. a) Thesis is what information is needed in the form of data

2. b) Antithesis is an opinion giving to reality, this anti-thesis merges with the thesis and
gives an opinion on relitas / synthesis
3. c) And finally synthesis in the form of reality and again becomes a thesis again.
4. Identify the reproductive system and marketing literary works!
The production system of marketing of literary works depends on the type and level of the economy that
exists in the community itself, and the ruler (government) also has a stake in the publication or not of a
literary work

Reference

Damono, Sapardi Djoko.1978 . Sociology of Literature: a concise introduction . Jakarta: Ministry of

Education and Culture.
Goldmann Lucien . 1978 . Towards a Sociology of the Novel . Tavistock Publication
Junus Umar . 1986 Sociology of Literature issues Theory and methods . Kuala Lumpur: Language and
Literature Council
Lauren Diana, Alan Swingewood. The Sociology of Literature .
Wellek Rene and Austi Werren . 1989 . Literary Theory . Melani Budianta. Jakarta Gramedia
Advertisements
REPORT THIS AD

REPORT THIS AD

Relationship of Literature with Society

Sociology of literature considers the relationship between literature and

society. Literature can be seen as a social phenomenon. Literature written in a certain period
of time is directly related to the norms and customs of the era. Luxemburg, et al. (1984, p.
 23) explain the relationship between literature and society investigated in various ways, as
follows:
1. The aspects studied are factors outside the text itself, the phenomenon of literary context, the
literary text itself is not reviewed.
2. Research the relationship between literary texts and the composition of society. The aim is
the extent to which the community system and its changes are reflected in literature. This
research is not only based on aesthetic norms, but also political and ethical norms.
Ratna and Nyoman (2005, pp. 331-340) stated "there is an awareness that literary
works must function together with other cultural aspects, so literary works are returned to the
midst of society, understanding them as inseparable parts of the communication system.
overall". There are several things that must be considered why literature has close links with
society and must be examined in relation to them in society. Some of these are explained, as
follows:
1. Literary works are written by authors, told by storytellers, copied by copyists, while the three
subjects are members of the community.
2. Literary works live in society, absorbing aspects of life that occur in society which in turn is
also functioned by the community.
3. The medium of literary works, both oral and written, is borrowed from the competence of the
community, which naturally contains social problems.
4. Unlike science, religion, customs, and other traditions, literary works contain aesthetics,
ethics, and even logic. The public clearly has an interest in all three aspects.
5. Same as the community, literary works are the essence of intersubjectivity, people find their
image in a work.
The relationship between literature and society, whether negatively, innovatively or
affirmatively, is clearly an essential relationship. Literary work has an important task both in
its efforts to be a pioneer of renewal, as well as providing recognition of a social phenomenon.
The function of language as a literary language clearly carries its own
characteristics. That is, the language of literature is everyday language itself that follows the
development of society in general. Associated with language as a tool, social characteristics
are contained in language. During the development of the history of Indonesian literature,
from the time of Malay literature, Balai Pustaka, and so on, it was clear that the different
languages used were different. In terms of content, it is also clear that literary works display
different social problems according to certain periods and social contexts.
Freedom as well as the ability of literary works to include almost all aspects of human
life makes literary works very close to people's aspirations. Thus, literary works contain
aspects of aesthetics, ethics, philosophy, logic, and even science.
Every age knows class disagreement and the results of literature voice a certain class,
so that literature is a tool of struggle. As for Jonah (1985, p. 20) explains the view of Marxism,
as follows:
1. Literature is social reflection.
 2. Social conditions are always marked by class conflict and a writer will voice his class voice.
3. The impression of this class conflict will also be found in literary works, so that the characters
in it are representative figures representing certain social classes.
Literary works are a reflection of people's lives so that various aspects of people's lives
are in them, including problems of politics and power. Political problems that occur in society
will one day be recorded in the literary text. In fact, political conditions also often affect
literature itself.
The function of literature can vary from era to age in various societies. In one era and
in certain societies, literature might function as a means of spreading ideology, in other eras
and other societies literature might be considered as a safe escape from everyday reality. It
may even be that literature is considered capable of providing noble human life experiences
and values to the reader.

Reference
Junus, U. (1985). Literary Reception An Introduction . Jakarta: Gramedia.
Luxemburg, V., et al. (1984). Introduction to Literature . Jakarta: Gramedia.
Ratna, K., & Nyoman (2005). Literature and Cultural Studies: Representations of Fiction and
Facts . Yogyakarta: Learning Library.