![]() ![]() Indonesian “exile literature” (sastra eksil) refers to the writings of Indonesian authors constrained to live in foreign countries for political reasons following the putsch of September 30, 1965. While images of communist figures are not as stable and absolute as what the New Order constructed, they remain contested in the unfinished historiography. Susanto's stories challenge New Order's images of communist or alleged-communist figures, depicting most of them as good citizens. ![]() One of these authors is Gunawan Budi Susanto, who wrote a 1965 short story collection titled Penjagal Itu Telah Mati (The Slaughterer Has Died) (2015). The end of the Suharto regime, which brought freedom of speech, enabled some victims of post-1965 tragedy (mostly ex-political prisoners) and their descendants to articulate a counter-culture and write other version of historiography. ![]() This paper, applying the descriptive-qualitative method and new historicism as theoretical framework, unpacks these infamous, stereotypical images of communists and alleged-communists and juxtaposes them with their counterparts in Post-Suharto 1965 fictional narratives. ![]() Images of communists or alleged-communists appeared in many books and films produced under the Suharto regime as villains and atheists, antagonists of the nation who deserved to be jailed and killed. This paper aims to discuss the images of communist figures in Post-Suharto 1965 fictional narratives. ![]()
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