Ecocritical Analysis of Enviromental Ethics and Human Nature Relations in Aroma Karsa and Bilangan Fu

Abstract

Contemporary environmental degradation has increased the need to examine how literature constructs ethical perspectives on human relationships with the natural world. However, existing ecocritical studies of Indonesian literature have tended to examine ecological representation thematically, with limited attention to how environmental ethics and human–nature relationships are constructed through contrasting ecological epistemologies. This study addresses this gap by examining the representation of environmental ethics and human–nature relationships in Aroma Karsa and Bilangan Fu through an ecocritical framework. Employing a qualitative descriptive design and textual analysis, the study examines selected narrative passages that represent nature, human interactions with nature, and ecological values. The analysis is guided by ecocritical perspectives.The analysis identifies two contrasting ecological epistemologies. Aroma Karsa constructs a predominantly scientific-rational and instrumental epistemology in which nature is associated with classification, control, and resource utilization. In contrast, Bilangan Fu constructs a predominantly spiritual, experiential, and relational epistemology in which nature is represented as a meaningful presence requiring understanding, respect, and ethical engagement. These contrasting epistemologies correspond to different patterns of human–nature relationships: instrumental control and utilization in Aroma Karsa, and interconnectedness and coexistence in Bilangan Fu. The study contributes to Indonesian ecocritical scholarship by demonstrating how contemporary literary narratives construct competing ways of knowing, valuing, and relating to nature.