By Mukhlis, S.Pd., M.Pd.
In philosophy, it is stated that literature is the oldest science after philosophy itself. This position is unique for literature. This uniqueness is because literature has a broad scope. The breadth of this science cannot be seen from several indicators used. The breadth of this science has given birth to several disciplines related to literature.
Literature basically cannot be separated from various lines of community life. Where there is a group of people living in an area, literature will automatically emerge. One of the literary sciences that studies the sociology of society is called the sociology of literature. This science views literary works as the largest social institution in community life. This science studies how literature is born from society which includes existing social phenomena.
Furthermore, in literature, it also studies the culture of society related to prevailing customs. These habits can be actions, attitudes and other relationships that damage life. In order for these problems to be easily understood and studied, a literary study related to the culture of society is needed. In accordance with the initial title of this article that studying literature means understanding culture. It is necessary to provide a fence from this article so that the resolution and boundaries remain within the established corridor.
Language as the Main Media in Literary Research
Before language existed and could be understood as it is today, literature was first born by utilizing sounds and other tools related to the culture that exists in human life. In ancient times, backward communities used animal bones as music that produced meaning. However, the meaning born from these sounds is conventional.
After the sounds are considered as literary works that give rise to literary values. Language in this context becomes the main media for understanding literary works. In order for the problems hidden behind the culture that applies from generation to generation, a scientific approach is needed to reveal the values that apply in a culture.
The approach needed in the field of literature to reveal the unsaid is the hermeneutic approach. The hermeneutic approach is an answer to answer the question of what values are conveyed in the cultural features that exist in society. This approach has provided an understanding and value that is stored behind the culture of society, both those that in the form of manuscripts or other conventional lsigns. Through the approach In philosophy, it is stated that literature is the oldest science after philosophy itself. This position is unique to literature. This uniqueness is because literature has a broad scope. The breadth of this science cannot be seen from several indicators used. The breadth of this science has given birth to several disciplines related to literature. In understanding all signs of cultural attributes can be dismantled, then the understanding of culture and noble values will be easily appreciated.
Information Transformation Has a Good Impact on Cultural Research Information transformation is a significant change that is currently happening. This phenomenon has had a tremendous influence on research, especially related to cultural research. Researchers are more assisted by the development of information through the collection of data that is carried out. This is different from the past, a qualitative researcher had to take a long time for a study. Literature research related to culture is a qualitative research. This research has its own uniqueness compared to quantitative research. In qualitative research, the researcher acts as a key instrument. This means that the researcher's closeness to the data and data sources is something that cannot be separated. In this case, the researcher in this study can act as the main instrument either by interviewing, observing, and giving questionnaires.
In relation to literary research that uses society as a source of data, researchers can act as members of society. This action is chosen so that the data collected is more objective. Although the objectivity of researchers in qualitative research is always questioned by quantitative researchers. Furthermore, another thing that researchers get when dealing with society in conducting literary studies is that they can observe more closely the symptoms that occur in society that are related to culture.
Types of Literary Works Related to Culture
As is known, literary works are born from the lives of society, both orally and in writing. Oral literature is a culture that has been passed down from generation to generation in the lives of society. Recently, this oral literature has almost become extinct, because society no longer wants to memorize literature in oral form. This oral literature is usually in the form of legends and tales. While in written form, it is more in the form of novels, short stories, and poetry. Through research conducted on the three literary objects mentioned above, the cultural values and philosophies that exist in people's lives society is better understood.
This understanding does not arise spontaneously, but through reports that are written and compiled systematically. Readers can understand how the development of community culture from time to time in the form of literary works? Lately, literary research, especially related to the culture of a society, has begun to be reported frequently on social media or mass media. This reporting is a conscious effort made by cultural observers, especially related to researching culture in the field of literature.
Conclusion:
Based on the description above, it is known that in literary studies related to society, both in the form of new literary works and old literary works, various cultural and philosophical values are stored that can be used as knowledge and indicators of the progress of a society's civilization. In literary works that have many genres, it turns out that extraordinary community culture is stored. This can only be known if literary research gets a special place among Indonesian intellectuals who join practitioners and academics.
The author is the Head of the Aceh Education Journal and a Teacher at State Senior High School 1 Lhokseumawe
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