Gender Representation and Social Inequality in Tere Liye's Novel Selamat Tinggal

Abstract

This study examines gender representation and social inequality in Tere Liye’s novel Selamat Tinggal. The research aims to explore how gender roles and social hierarchies are constructed and represented through character interactions, institutional settings, family structures, and digital communication within the novel. A qualitative descriptive method with content analysis was employed. The data were collected from selected quotations in the novel and analyzed through open coding, axial coding, and thematic analysis following Strauss and Cobin’s Grounded Theory approach, followed by thematic analysis as proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006). The findings show that gender representation in the novel is constructed through stereotypical portrayals of masculinity and femininity. Female characters are often associated with emotional expression, softness, and supportive roles, while male characters are depicted as active, rational, and socially dominant. In addition, gender performativity is evident in both face-to-face and digital interactions, indicating that gender identity is fluid and socially constructed. Social inequality is also strongly represented through hierarchical structures in academic institutions, family systems, and everyday social life, where differences in status, role, and occupation shape social relations. The study concludes that gender representation and social inequality in the novel are interconnected social constructs shaped by cultural norms, institutional power, and everyday practices. The novel not only reflects social reality but also constructs meaning about gender and inequality within contemporary Indonesian society.