Anthropo-Religious Literary Study in the Novel Truntum by Siti Aminah

This study aims to describe and analyze the religious system and Javanese social system in the novel Truntum by Siti Aminah using a literary anthropo-religious approach. The focus is on the representation of values such as submission to divine will (pasrah), acceptance (nrima), filial piety, social hierarchy, and the characters’ inner negotiations when facing tensions between customary norms and humanitarian values. This research employs a qualitative descriptive-interpretative method. Data consist of narrative units representing religious and social systems, collected through intensive reading and systematic note-taking. Data analysis follows the stages of data reduction, data display, and reflective conclusion drawing, grounded in literary anthropology theory and György Lukács’s concept of the novel as a modern epic. The findings reveal eighteen major themes indicating that the religious system is not portrayed as passive submission but as submission after effort, reflecting inner maturity. Meanwhile, the Javanese social system is characterized by strong customary control, family hierarchy, and indirect communication ethics. The interaction of these systems generates inner conflict, ascetic restraint, and reconciliation, positioning Truntum as a reflection of modern Javanese culture negotiating tradition, religiosity, and human values.