Kekhasan Penokohan Mandeh dalam Novel Limpapeh Karya A.R Rizal (Sebuah Kajian Semiotika)

Abstract

Literary works are the result of artistic creations in all aspects of human life. The description of human life in society in certain areas in the novel forms a distinctive presentation. Limpapeh's novel tells of a family laden with Minangkabau customs. This family is led by a Bundo Kanduang called Mandeh. In her life, Mandeh faced many problems related to family and customary traditions. This research will discuss the peculiarities of Mandeh's position in the storyline and the peculiarities of the presentation of the characters in the novel Limpapeh by A.R Rizal. This study uses qualitative research with content analysis methods. The approach used is Todorov's semiotic approach. Todorov's semantic level theory divides the story into three aspects, namely the semantic aspect, the syntactic aspect, and the verbal aspect. This novel is divided into twenty-six episodes. Mandeh always appears in each episode as the center of events. It shows that the main role in the Limpapeh novel is Mandeh. Mandeh's characteristics are more prominent when compared to other characters. These characteristics of Mandeh are summed up through her actions that appear in each episode. This is called a demonstration technique. Mandeh is depicted as someone who holds closely to customs, is wise, loves the family, is a hard worker, full of empathy, and is a conflict reliever. Her figure is an ideal example of her role as Bundo Kanduang. This is in accordance with the novel's title, Limpapeh, which is the main pillar supporting the house.