Construction of the identity of Arabs in the novel Fatat Qarut by Sayid Abdullah Ahmad Assegaf

Abstract

This article aims to reveal the construction of the identity of Arab immigrants in the era of Dutch colonialism as represented in the novel Fatat Qarut (1929) by Sayyid Abdullah Ahmad Assegaf. The novel was written in Arabic during the colonialism era and represented the setting of Garut city. The main problem of the novel revolves around the relations of Neng, Abdullah, and Van Ridijk characters as representations of the natives (Sundanese), Arab immigrants, and Dutch colonials. The romance story among the three figures provokes some views on the identity of Arab immigrants through supporting and opposing characters. With a descriptive analytical method, this research reveals how the characters in it construct the identity of Arab immigrants from the perspective of post-colonialism. The results show that the text of Fatat Qarut confirms the identity of Arab immigrants as heroes.