DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE LOVE LANGUAGE IN THE NOVEL SITAYANA BY COK SAWITRI

Abstract

The novel is one of the most influential literary forms used to convey messages, emotions, and social values. Through storytelling, authors express ideas and experiences that reflect moral, cultural, and ideological aspects of life. Among contemporary Indonesian works, Sitayana by Cok Sawitri presents a reinterpretation of the Ramayana legend from Sita’s perspective, emphasizing women’s strength, love, and resilience. This research, entitled “Discourse Analysis of Love in the Novel Sitayana by Cok Sawitri,” explores the structure of love language discourse, the production of meaning by both the author and readers, and its implications for readers’ understanding. The study applies Teun A. Van Dijk’s Discourse Analysis theory and Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory using a qualitative approach with purposive sampling and structured interviews. The results reveal 144 instances of love language expressions: 23 acts of service, 44 physical touch, 22 quality time, 10 receiving gifts, and 42 words of affirmation. Additionally, 50 meaning implications were identified, consisting of 5 negotiated readings, 26 oppositional readings, and 19 dominant readings. These findings indicate that readers tend to interpret the novel through oppositional readings, suggesting that Sitayana provokes critical engagement and challenges conventional ideologies about love, gender roles, and moral discourse in modern literature.