The Novel Our Home by Valentina Madihanto: Discrimination, Helplessnes, and Death

ABSTRACT: Literary works reflect the complexity of human life and often mirror social realities, including the phenomena of discrimination and helplessness. Discrimination within the family can have a profound psychological impact on individuals, and in some cases, may even lead to death. This study aims to analyze the forms of discrimination experienced by Rafa as the eldest child, identify the helplessness he feels due to maternal pressure, and interpret the meaning of his death in the novel Our Home by Valentina Madihanto. The study employs Paul Ricoeur’s hermeneutic method, which interprets texts by moving from the apparent meaning to deeper, hidden meanings. Data were collected using reading and note-taking techniques, then analyzed based on the Miles and Huberman model, which includes data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that the discrimination experienced by Rafa reflects injustice in the parenting of firstborn children, who are often expected to be perfect without space for failure. Such pressure evolves into helplessness, a loss of self-worth, and ultimately, despair leading to death. The implications of this research highlight the importance of fair and supportive parenting within the family to prevent harmful psychological effects, as well as the need for collective awareness to recognize and avoid subtle forms of discrimination against children.