Traumatic Memory and Family Dynamics of Political Prisoners in Leila S. Chudori's Namaku Alam (Karim et al., 2025)

=== [PDF page 1] === Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 page 51—62 https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/poetika https://doi.org/10.22146/poetika.v13i1.105970 Traumatic Memory and Family Dynamics of Political Prisoners in Leila S. Chudori’s Namaku Alam Ahmad Abdul Karim1*, Natanael Ricky Putra1, Nurlina Amiruddin1, Agung Rizki Juwi Handoko1, Maylia Vinda Ekklesia1, Nissa Vidyanita2 Indonesian Language 1Indonesian Education, Language Faculty Education, of Literature, State State University of University Malang, of Malang Indonesia Jl. Semarang SemarangNo. 5, Sumbersari, Street Lowokwaru, No. 5, Sumbersari, MalangMalang Lowokwaru, City, East Java City, 65145, East Indonesia Java, 65145 University College Dublin Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland ABSTRACT The violent aftermath of Indonesia’s 1965 political upheaval created profound, lasting trauma for political prisoners (tahanan politik, or tapol) and their families. This trauma continues to live within family memories, trapped in narratives of violence, oppression, and alienation. Leila S. Chudori’s novel, Namaku Alam, provides a compelling literary examination of this legacy, portraying how trauma transcends temporal boundaries and transmits actively across generations. Through textual analysis grounded in trauma theory (Cathy Caruth) and concepts of intergenerational memory (Marianne Hirsch, Maurice Halbwachs), this article examines the psychosocial processes represented in the novel. The analysis reveals a three-stage progression: 1) family dynamics function as an arena for trauma transmission through silence, fragmented narratives, and somatic memory; 2) this transmission creates a distinctive inherited identity in the second generation, characterized by social stigma and psychological fragmentation; and 3) the legacy culminates in fractured intergenerational relationships, where systemic violence manifests as domestic conflict and communication breakdown. This study reveals how Namaku Alam operates as a vital counter-narrative to official histories, serving as a bridge that illuminates the intimate, long-term consequences of state violence. By dissecting the familial mechanisms of trauma, the novel critiques the enduring impact of political repression on memory, identity, and relational life.. Keywords: family dynamics; Leila S. Chudori; Namaku Alam; political prisoner; traumatic memory INTRODUCTION The political upheaval of 1965 became the focal point of stripped them of their freedom and fundamental collective violence that left an indelible imprint on the rights, forcing them to live under strict surveillance nation’s memory. This massive sociopolitical rupture and in enforced isolation from the broader society. profoundly affected individuals and families affiliated This condition extended beyond physical confinement either directly or indirectly with the Indonesian to encompass comprehensive social and psychological Winward, 2021). Many of them were stigmatized as Cleveland-Peck, 2021; Hearman, 2016). political prisoners (tapol), a label that systematically Scholars such as Ahmad (2018), Estrelita === [PDF page 2] === Poetika, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 (2024), Hearman (2016, 2022), and Rufaedah & Putra Alam, a child born into a tapol family, grapples with (2018) consistently argue that tapol have long been a profound identity fragmentation as he attempts subjected to persistent social stigma and systemic to comprehend his family’s repressed history. This discrimination. This multifaceted discrimination— fragmentation is not merely a personal crisis but also legal, social, economic, and psychological— reflects the collective identity dislocation experienced systematically eroded their quality of life. The by the descendants of political prisoners. discriminatory treatment not only affected those Alam undergoes an arduous introspective labeled as tapol but also extended to their families journey, marked by emotional and cognitive and descendants, a tragic pattern that has continued struggles, as he feels trapped between his family’s across generations and endured for decades (Amad, traumatic past and his desire to live free from its 2019; Leong, 2021; Lestariningsih & Sunarti, 2023). lingering shadows. Through this narrative, Chudori The phenomenon of intergenerational effectively highlights the psychological and social discrimination has triggered and perpetuated a consequences of traumatic memory and illustrates the complex form of trauma that is transmitted from one intergenerational dynamics within families affected generation to the next (Bowe, Thomas, & Mackey, by transgenerational trauma. This psychological 2025; Heberle, Obus, & Gray, 2020; Lehrner & complexity positions the novel as more than mere Yehuda, 2018; O’Neill et al., 2025). Such trauma fiction; it functions as a critical lens for understanding has fostered intricate dynamics within the families how macro-historical events shape micro-level lives, of political prisoners, manifesting in the form of particularly in the context of inherited trauma. inherited psychological wounds and multidimensional This study investigates the representation of intergenerational struggles. Academically, this traumatic memory and family dynamics among the phenomenon is referred to as transgenerational descendants of political prisoners (tapol) as depicted trauma, a condition in which unresolved trauma in Namaku Alam. Its author, Leila S. Chudori, is from one generation is symbolically and emotionally one of Indonesia’s most prominent contemporary transmitted to subsequent generations (Alfani, 2025; writers, known for her politically grounded historical Kizilhan, Noll-Hussong, & Wenzel, 2021; Salberg & narratives. Namaku Alam offers a rare and poignant Grand, 2024; Schwab, 2010; Veronese, Mahamid, & portrayal of the intergenerational consequences of Bdier, 2023). the 1965 political violence. The narrative is anchored This transmission often occurs through in Indonesia’s historical realities, transcending the non-verbal mechanisms, such as dysfunctional realm of fiction to function as a cultural document communication patterns, meaningful silences, and that captures the resonance of trauma. internalized maladaptive behaviors. The implications As a sequel to Pulang, this novel expands of transgenerational trauma are profound: it greatly Chudori’s efforts to illuminate the silenced histories affects the development of individual self-identity of former political prisoners and their families. By and, at the familial level, gives rise to conflictual developing complex characters and plotlines, Chudori and disorganized interactional patterns. Studies on successfully gives voice to tapol families who have transgenerational trauma emphasize that wounds long been silenced, thereby challenging the monolithic from the past are never entirely resolved but continue narratives that dominate official historiography. to resonate and shape the psychological realities of Within the Indonesian literary canon, Namaku Alam individuals in the present (Caruth, 2014; de Ávila, courageously confronts collective amnesia and 2025; Lehrner & Yehuda, 2018; Lin, 2024; Mikulan & humanizes the lived experiences of those marginalized Zembylas, 2024; Schmukalla, 2024). by dominant historical discourse. This underscores In Namaku Alam, Leila S. Chudori subtly the capacity of literary texts to serve as subversive yet powerfully portrays the lived experiences of acts aimed at reclaiming narrative space and historical families of political prisoners by narrating the lives justice (Gheytasi, 2024; Griffin & James, 2018; Kayal, of characters who are figuratively haunted by the 2025; Mavengano, 2025; Milatovic, 2014). past and burdened by social stigma. The novel is Namaku Alam’s significance lies not only in a crucial medium for exploring the marginalized its literary contribution but also in its sociopolitical human dimensions resulting from historical tragedy. relevance. The novel portrays a society still grappling 52 === [PDF page 3] === Karim, et.al. - Traumatic Memory and Family Dynamics of Political Prisoners... with persistent trauma, historical repression, and explores the psychological, emotional, and relational contested collective memory. The narrative struggle dimensions of trauma as portrayed in the novel, while over historical truth forms the core of the novel’s also uncovering the broader socio-political dynamics thematic concern, reflecting the enduring tension embedded in the collective memory of tapol families. between personal memory and state-sanctioned This approach enables an integration of micro-level narratives. psychological analysis with macro-level sociopolitical This study explores how trauma and collective context, thereby offering a holistic understanding of memory related to the political upheaval of 1965 are the impact of trauma. articulated through the novel’s depiction of individuals The primary source for this research is Leila and families living under the shadow of a painful S. Chudori’s novel, Namaku Alam. The data analyzed national history. This approach enables a nuanced consists of narrative excerpts, dialogues, and analysis of how trauma is not merely reproduced monologues that illustrate the characters’ traumatic but also negotiated and internalized in everyday experiences and the mechanisms of intergenerational life. This study employs textual analysis grounded in transmission within the family. Selected excerpts are Cathy Caruth’s trauma theory and Maurice Halbwachs’ carefully examined to identify patterns of language, theory of collective memory. Caruth (1995: 22, symbolism, and emotional representation related to 2016: 23) conceptualizes trauma not merely as trauma. a past event but as a recurring and disruptive Secondary references, including books, journal phenomenon that continues to affect individuals in articles, and scholarly discussions on trauma theory, the present, manifesting through symptoms such collective memory, and literary studies, support as avoidance, hyperarousal, negative cognition, and and contextualize the findings. Data collection was mood disturbances. Her definition of trauma as a conducted through close reading and detailed notedelayed shock is particularly relevant in the context of taking, allowing for the identification of textual sublimated memories that are persistently manifested elements relevant to the research focus. This process in prolonged psychological forms. ensures rigor and validity in data extraction, forming Meanwhile, Halbwachs (1997: 3) argues a solid foundation for interpretive analysis. that collective memory is a socially constructed The data analysis follows the interactive phenomenon, shaped within specific cultural and qualitative analysis model proposed by Miles et al., institutional contexts, embodied in social symbols, and (2018), which involves stages of data selection, inaccessible to groups rather than individuals alone. He depth interpretation, exploration of latent meanings, emphasizes that memory is never purely individual, and conclusion drawing. This method allows for but always interacts with social frameworks and an iterative approach whereby understanding is dominant discourses. Within this dynamic, both continuously refined throughout the analytical society and state institutions play significant roles process. in constructing, preserving, and reshaping historical Further literature review enriches the analysis narratives across generations. This creates a complex by incorporating insights from literary theory and memory landscape in which truth is often fragmented trauma studies. This synthesis strengthens the and contested. theoretical framework and provides a comparative How are traumatic memory and the family foundation for the research findings. The study aims to dynamics of political prisoners represented in Namaku contribute to the understanding of traumatic memory Alam by Leila S. Chudori? This guiding question forms within tapol families as represented in literary texts the central focus of the present study, which seeks to and to highlight the intergenerational transmission examine how trauma is experienced, remembered, of trauma. Specifically, this research addresses a and transmitted within the context of families of gap in the existing literature by integrating literary former political prisoners. The study aims to address analysis with transgenerational trauma studies in the a significant gap in the literature regarding the deeper Indonesian context. internal mechanisms of trauma transmission within Previous research on traumatic memory in familial settings. Indonesian literature has explored a range of themes Through this analytical framework, the research and approaches. Alifian et al., (2024) examine the 53 === [PDF page 4] === Poetika, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 traumatic culture of coastal communities in East Java memory, social stigma, and psychological weight. through the lens of agrarian conflict, while Zamzuri This includes an exploration of how descendants (2020) focuses on personal trauma and migration in of former political prisoners internalize stigma and Jatisaba. Russida (2024) investigates the collective how it informs their sense of self. Finally, the study trauma of Chinese-Indonesians in Peranakan novels. explores how these dynamics culminate in strained These studies demonstrate the diversity of trauma intergenerational relationships characterized by representation in Indonesian literature, from personal conflict, silence, and covert resistance. Silence, in this to communal scales. Other studies by Arofah & context, is not the absence of voice but a meaningful Rokhman (2021), Hardianti (2022), Utami (2022), form of communication, one that reflects the difficulty Andalas & Qur’an (2021) address trauma arising of processing and articulating trauma. from war, massacres, and ethnic identity conflicts. By unpacking these three processes, this article These varied contexts underscore the universality contributes to the discourse on political trauma in of traumatic experience, even as its manifestations Indonesia through a transgenerational approach that remain deeply contextual. centers on affective and relational experiences. This Research specifically examining post-1965 approach opens new dimensions in the understanding political trauma and the experiences of former political of trauma, moving beyond purely historical and prisoners (tapol) is extensive. Assa (2019), Mulyadi political frameworks. The study not only paves the & Putra (2020), and Putra et al (2024) analyze the way for a deeper comprehension of the long-term intergenerational transmission of trauma among the psychosocial impact of the 1965 political tragedy but descendants of tapol, primarily through historical, also addresses the crucial function of literature. ideological, and documentary approaches. While Literature, in this context, serves as a medium these prior studies have focused on historical and to articulate the unspoken, providing space for ideological aspects, they obscure the more intimate marginalized experiences. This research seeks to psychological and relational dimensions. These demonstrate how the literary work Namaku Alam studies concentrate on how the collective memory plays a vital role in helping society comprehend of political tragedy is constructed and transmitted these impacts by offering a bridge to the past and through family narratives, historical records, and presenting a nuanced counter-narrative to dominant experiences of exile. Although such approaches are historical discourse. In doing so, the novel functions valuable, they often lack a deeper engagement with as a counter-hegemonic agent, challenging official the affective and interactional impact of trauma narratives and fostering memory reconciliation. within the familial context. This article expands Ultimately, this article offers theoretical insights into current research by positioning trauma not merely contemporary Indonesian literary studies that engage as a historical or political memory but as an ongoing with themes of trauma, memory, and familial identity. psychological experience that is fundamentally This contribution enriches the theoretical framework embedded within familial relationships. The study for literary analysis and encourages interdisciplinary represents a shift in perspective from the macro to dialogue among literary studies, psychology, and the micro, from the collective to the interpersonal. history. Rather than simply documenting the transmission of memory, it investigates how trauma operates within families by examining three interrelated processes. FINDINGS & DISCUSSION First, the study offers an in-depth analysis of Leila S. Chudori’s Namaku Alam illustrates that trauma how family dynamics serve as the primary arena is not a static remnant of the past but a persistent, for the transmission of unresolved trauma from living force that deeply informs the characters’ lived the first to the second generation. The focus is on realities. Anchored in the unresolved political violence interaction, communication, and behavior patterns of 1965, this trauma seeps into the fabric of family life, that unconsciously convey emotional burdens. operating as a psychosocial mechanism that governs Second, the research carefully traces the formation internal dynamics, shapes personal identities, and of a specific inherited identity within the second influences intergenerational relationships. Rather generation, an identity shaped by fragmented than receding with time, the trauma continues 54 === [PDF page 5] === Karim, et.al. - Traumatic Memory and Family Dynamics of Political Prisoners... to unfold within the family, reverberating across predecessors. This aligns closely with the theorization generations. of trauma by Caruth (1995) as an event that is not This section explores these dynamics through fully experienced at the moment of its occurrence but three interwoven thematic pillars, each revealing a re-emerges belatedly, insistently, and incompletely. different stage in the unfolding of intergenerational In the second generation, trauma is not inherited as a trauma. First, it examines how family interactions narrative but as a haunting, a rupture in the temporal serve as the primary site for transmitting unresolved and emotional continuity of selfhood. This process trauma. Second, it considers how this transmission of secondary intrusion is exemplified in Alam’s gives rise to a specific form of inherited identity—one reconstruction of his family’s history. marked by stigma, fragmentation, and psychological burden. Finally, it analyzes how these inherited “Saya hanya mencatat karena ini semua adalah pengalaman Yu Kenanga ketika saya masih patterns culminate in fractured intergenerational sangat kecil. Saya tak mampu mengingatnya… bonds, exposing the emotional and relational costs Agak kompleks karena semula, Yu Kenanga of a legacy shaped by systemic violence. hanya bisa menceritakan secara implisit, Bu. Dia hanya ingin memberikan poin bahwa ibu Family Dynamics as an Arena for Trauma kami sudah sangat banyak berkorban untuk In Namaku Alam, the family is depicted not as a (Chudori, 2024: 170) sanctuary from the political turmoil of the outside “I only wrote these down because they were world but as the primary, often unconscious, Yu Kenanga’s memories from when I was still conduit through which historical trauma is passed very little. I couldn’t possibly remember them… down. Transmission operates through indirect It’s rather complicated, because initially, Yu and fragmented mechanisms—pervasive silences, Kenanga could only tell the story implicitly, fragmented narratives, and visceral somatic reactions ma’am. She just wanted to make the point that that create a domestic atmosphere saturated with our mother had sacrificed so much for all of us.” unresolved pain. This phenomenon is aptly framed by Hirsch’s (1997: 22) concept of post-memory, These implicit narratives prove crucial. The which she defines as the experience of those “who gaps, hesitations, and moral injunctions transmit grow up dominated by narratives that preceded their more than just information; they convey the affective birth, whose own belated stories are evacuated by weight of the trauma itself—the fear, the shame, and the stories of a previous generation.” For members the imperative of silence. This forces Alam into the of the second generation, memory often emerges not role of a historical detective, piecing together a past as a straightforward recollection but as a fragmented that haunts his present yet remains tantalizingly out of project of reconstruction, a patchwork of inherited reach. This emotional inheritance, rather than direct emotions, silences, and partial narratives that are experience, becomes the foundation of his traumatic deeply felt but only vaguely comprehended (Baser & symptoms. In this context, memory functions not as Toivanen, 2024; Féron, 2024; Fodor & Lugossy, 2025; a stable archive but as a contested and negotiated Ndlovu & Tshuma, 2021; Sheets, 2024). Rather than space. Alam becomes both a recipient and a curator a clear transmission of history, what is passed down of intergenerational trauma, tasked with piecing is an affective residue—echoes of trauma, unspoken together a history that resists total understanding. griefs, and lingering tensions—that shapes identity His search for clarity is less about recovering facts in indirect and often unconscious ways. The legacy than about making sense of emotional inheritances of trauma becomes embedded not in facts but in that have no clear origin or resolution. In doing so, the atmospheres, gestures, and omissions. narrative reflects the broader experience of second- A central mechanism in this intergenerational generation individuals who must navigate the liminal transmission is what scholars describe as secondary zone between lived absence and emotional presence, intrusion, a process by which the second generation memory and myth, silence and speech. vicariously absorbs the traumatic experiences of their This trauma becomes physically embedded, 55 === [PDF page 6] === Poetika, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 manifesting as somatic memory and avoidance, reproduced as an inherited legacy—one characterized particularly in the female characters. This aligns not by direct experience, but by the haunting presence with the work of trauma theorists like Van der Kolk of what could not be spoken, named, or confronted. (2022) and Ogden et al (2006), who argue that the body keeps a score of traumatic experiences, often The Formation of an Inherited Identity: on a pre-verbal, sensory level. The novel powerfully Negotiating Stigma and Fragmented illustrates this: Memory “Namun, yang terjadi adalah Yu Kenanga The persistent transmission of trauma within the menjelaskan mengapa setiap kali Ibu atau Yu family directly shapes a specific and burdensome Kenanga melalui sebuah jalan di Jakarta Pusat, identity for the second generation (Berger & Berger, langsung saja mereka akan bergetar dan sebuah 2001; Sabawi, 2020; Stern, 2022; Tize, 2025; Young, trauma yang nyaris tak tersembuhkan muncul 2024). This constitutes an externally imposed identity kembali.” rather than one developed through personal agency, (Chudori, 2024: 156) fundamentally defined by the political status of their parents and the pervasive social stigma attached to “But what happened was that Yu Kenanga it. Such an imposed identity can cause individuals to explained why every time Ibu or Yu Kenanga passed a street in Central Jakarta, they would experience cognitive dissonance, shaping a self-image begin to tremble, and a nearly incurable trauma based on labels given due to the political background would return.” of their parents or previous generations. This cognitive dissonance is compounded by the complex The involuntary trembling serves as a visceral role of memory itself. More than just a historical manifestation of a memory that remains unspoken record, memory is a dynamic force that influences and unprocessed. In this instance, the street in Central the formation of personal identity and gives meaning Jakarta functions as a spatial catalyst, triggering the to everyday experiences (Pangestu, 2021). The lives resurgence of a suppressed past that the conscious of characters experiencing traumatic memories are mind seeks to evade but the body continues to marked by profound bitterness, a direct consequence register and retain (Marschall, 2015; Miller-Graff, of past incidents that resulted in layered trauma 2022; Pearce, 2012). This phenomenon exemplifies (Arofah & Rokhman, 2021). The novel captures the a form of gendered trauma in which the female body devastating impact of this process through acts of becomes an embodied archive—bearing the traces social labeling, where the state’s condemnation is of psychological, symbolic, and institutional violence deployed in daily interactions, imposing a political inflicted by state actors (Putra & Dermawan, 2023). identity upon a child. The physical and emotional aversion to revisiting such spaces operates as a protective psychological “Mana? Mana anak lelaki Pak Hananto?” Lelaki mechanism, a form of spatial avoidance developed to itu tampak murka... “Mana anak pengkhianat negara itu?” shield oneself from retraumatization (Bower & Sivers, 1998; Burback et al., 2024; Foa et al., 1989; Ogden et (Chudori, 2024: 20) al., 2006). “Where? Where is the son of Pak Hananto?” The However, this strategy of avoidance—though man looked furious… “Where is the son of that adaptive in the short term—ultimately forestalls the traitor to the country?” cognitive and emotional processing necessary for healing. As a result, the trauma remains latent but This public accusation—“the son of a traitor”— unresolved, persisting beneath the surface of family is more than an insult; it is a performative act of life. Its silence becomes structurally embedded within interpellation that violently thrusts Alam into a the household’s affective rhythms, passing on to stigmatized social role. As argued by Zolkos (2024), the next generation not through explicit narrative, such legacies shape the subjectivity of descendants. but through emotional atmospheres, behavioral The external label becomes a core component of his patterns, and embodied responses. Thus, the trauma is internal identity, forcing him into a state of constant, 56 === [PDF page 7] === Karim, et.al. - Traumatic Memory and Family Dynamics of Political Prisoners... exhausting negotiation between the person he meticulously demonstrates how systemic, structural seeks to become and the political shadow he cannot violence—militarism, political repression—infiltrates escape. This engenders what can be characterized the private sphere, manifesting as domestic abuse, as a fragmented identity—an unstable composite emotional volatility, and a complete breakdown of assembled from others’ memories (Hirsch, 1997), communication. The relationship between Bimo and debilitating social labels, and profound confusion. The his stepfather, Pak Prakosa, is a stark microcosm of lack of a coherent, self-authored narrative prevents how militaristic ideology can infiltrate and poison the the formation of a stable, autonomous self, leaving home. him psychologically adrift. This inherited identity is further characterized “Musuh Bimo adalah ayah tirinya sendiri... Pak Prakosa menyundutnya setiap kali dia tak puas by negative cognitive and mood alterations, a core dengan jawaban Bimo atas pertanyaannya…” symptom cluster in trauma survivors (Caruth, 2016). The character Bimo provides a potent illustration of (Chudori, 2024: 105) this, exhibiting deep-seated cynicism and emotional “Bimo’s enemy was his own stepfather… Pak numbing as a defense mechanism against the Prakosa would burn him with a cigarette every compounded trauma of a broken home and an absent time he was dissatisfied with Bimo’s answers.” father figure. His hostile dismissal of his mother— “Ibumu?” “Taiklah.” (“Your mother?” “Oh shit.”) Pak Prakosa’s pattern of abuse should not (Chudori, 2024: 79)—is not mere adolescent rebellion be seen as a series of isolated personal outbursts. but a symptom of profound psychological rupture Rather, it reflects a more disturbing manifestation of and an inability to regulate affect. This response a broader militarized ideology—one that normalizes can be understood as a desperate attempt to sever coercion, physical discipline, and authoritarian an emotional connection that has become a source control as legitimate tools of governance and of unbearable pain, a manifestation of emotional socialization (Chenoy, 2004; Parashar, 2018). His numbing that serves to shield him from overwhelming actions are emblematic of a system in which power feelings (Georgescu, Bodislav, Coșocariu, & Andrei, is asserted through fear and obedience, reflecting 2025; Ginot, 2015). His cognitive distortions, marked a larger sociopolitical logic that collapses the by pessimism, anger, and a wholesale rejection of his boundaries between public authoritarianism and maternal bond, demonstrate how trauma reshapes private life. Within this framework, the household an individual’s entire cognitive framework, fostering ceases to function as a sanctuary. Instead, it becomes internal narratives of hopelessness and alienation a microcosm of systemic violence—a space where the (Fulford & Holt, 2023). dynamics of domination are enacted and perpetuated under the guise of familial order. This dynamic gives rise to what psychologists Intergenerational Relationships as a Legacy define as complex trauma, which occurs through of Systemic Violence sustained exposure to abusive behaviors within a The devastating consequence of these traumatic caregiving relationship, particularly in environments dynamics and inherited identities is the corrosion and where the victim is chronically powerless and fracturing of intergenerational relationships (Aarons, dependent (Alexander, 2014; Dayton, 2023). For Bimo, 2019; Lewis, 2025; Markowitz, 2021; McKinney, the trauma is not confined to the bruises and physical 2007; Mills & Turnbull, 2004). Generational memory suffering he endures, but becomes internalized as a functions as a mechanism for transmitting collective distorted psychological blueprint. His experiences experiences from one generation to the next, ensuring profoundly shape his evolving sense of self, authority, these memories remain vital and present (Darojat and emotional intimacy as he learns to associate care et al., 2024). Traumatic memories emerging from with harm, and discipline with violence. Over time, previous generations can shape collective perspectives this psychological conditioning fosters maladaptive and identities, as these historical experiences can beliefs about what it means to love, to obey, and to be reactivated, allowing subsequent generations to survive within familial structures. The result is a connect with the traumatic roots of the past. The novel fractured inner world where trust is compromised, 57 === [PDF page 8] === Poetika, Vol. 13, No. 1, June 2025 and where relationships become entangled with by dominant power relations. fear, submission, and emotional numbing—a The novel’s significance lies in its socio-political pattern that may reverberate across generations if function as a literary space for critique and affective left unaddressed. This psychological fragmentation understanding. In a society still grappling with is evident in Bimo’s conflicted relationship with his historical amnesia, the novel functions as a powerful absent father. counter-narrative, giving voice and humanity to those systematically silenced by the state’s official history. It “Aku memang pingin Bapak pulang, Bu. Kan, operates as a bridge, allowing readers who did not live bukan salahku kalau bapak enggak bisa through the events to connect with the emotional and datang...” ucap Bimo… Air mata Bimo deras. psychological weight of the 1965 tragedy and its long- (Chudori, 2024: 84–86) term consequences. By translating political history “I really want Bapak to come home, Bu. It’s not into the visceral, lived experience of a family, the novel my fault he can’t come…” said Bimo… His tears fosters a deeper, more empathetic comprehension of flowed heavily. how the legacy of authoritarianism and social stigma continues to operate. It underscores the importance of This intense emotional response exemplifies understanding trauma as both a personal and political hyperarousal (Pugliese et al., 2024), where the narrative that must be acknowledged, articulated, and nervous system is overwhelmed by traumatic triggers, held historically accountable. leading to intense and uncontrollable emotional responses (Punamäki et al., 2017; Schore, 2002). His tears signify more than sadness; they represent a STATEMENT OF COMPETING INTERESTS nervous system that can no longer regulate itself in the The authors hereby declare that this article is face of relentless psychological stress. The strained entirely free from any conflict of interest related to communication, explosive emotional reactions, and the processes of data collection, analysis, editorial deliberate acts of violence depicted in the novel are handling, and publication with Poetika: Jurnal Ilmu not isolated incidents but patterned, predictable Sastra. None of the authors were involved at any stage outcomes of a legacy of unresolved trauma. They in the editorial review or decision-making process form the underlying structure of a family shaped concerning this manuscript. by historical injustice, where political forces have systematically damaged the fundamental human needs for safety, love, and communication. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors express sincere appreciation to the peer reviewers for their critical reviews and constructive CONCLUSION suggestions. The feedback provided has significantly Leila S. Chudori’s Namaku Alam compellingly enhanced the manuscript both substantively and demonstrates that trauma constitutes not merely a methodologically and has contributed to deepening psychological state but a lived reality that continuously the authors’ understanding of the theoretical and shapes familial life. Through the analytical lens of empirical dimensions relevant to this study. 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