Kritik Sastra (Literary Criticism)

TIPE-TIPE KRITIK SASTRA BERDASARKAN PENDEKATAN TERHADAP KARYA SASTRANYA

Kritik sastra dapat dibagi atas beberapa jenis. Penjelasan ini didasarkan pada pendekatan yang digunakan, bentuk, dan pelaksanaan kritik tersebut. Oleh karena itu, jenis-jenis kritik sastra dapat dilihat berdasarkan pendekatan atau metode kritik, berdasarkan pendekatan terhadap karya sastra, berdasarkan bentuknya, dan berdasarkan tipe sejarah sastra dan kritik sastra. Berdasarkan pendekatannya terhadap karya sastra, kritik sastra dapat digolongkan atas empat jenis sebagai berikut:

a)      Kritik mimetik

Kritik mimetik (mimetic criticism), yaitu kritik yang bertolak pada pandangan bahwa karya sastra merupakan suatu tiruan atau penggambaran dunia dan kehidupan manusia. Kritik ini lahir pada abad ke empat belas sebelum masehi, diawali oleh kritik yang dilontarkan oleh Plato dan Aristoteles terhadap karya sastra. Menurut pandangan Plato (dalam Luxemburg dkk, 1994) karena karya seni (dan sastra) hanya menyajikan mimesis (tiruan) dari kenyataan, maka nilai karya seni lebih rendah dari kenyataan. Kenyataan sebagai sumber penciptaan memiliki nilai yang jauh lebih tinggi dibanding tiruannya. Beda halnya dengan Aristoteles (dalam Luxemburg dkk, 1984) yang melihat mimesis yang dilakukan para seniman tidak berarti semata-mata menjiplak kenyataan, melainkan merupakan sebuah proses kreatif. Artinya menurut Aristoteles, sambil bertitik pangkal pada kenyataan, seniman (penyair) menciptakan kembali kenyataan.

Skema berikut menghubungkan karya sastra dengan realitas dalam kritik sastra mimetik.

Realitas: sosial, budaya, politik

Karya sastra

Karena kritik mimetik menghubungkan karya sastra dengan realitas, maka kemudian muncul berbagai anggapan mengenai karya sastra. Karya sastra antara lain dianggapsebagai refleksi atau cermin realitas. Ada kecenderungan pada kritik ini untuk langsung mengembalikan (membandingkan) realitas karya sastra kepada realitas yang faktual (rill), sehingga hakikat karya sastra yang fiktif imajinerseringkali dilupakan. Padahal, sebagaimana dikemukakan Aristoteles, karya sastra berbeda dari sejarah. Oleh sebab itu, kritik sastra mimetik cenderung untuk mengukur kemampuan suatu karya sastra menangkap gambaran kehidupan yang dijadikan sebagai suatu objek.

b)      Kritik pragmatik

Kritik pragmatik (pragmatic criticism), yaitu suatu kritik yang disusun berdasarkan pandangan bahwa suatu karya sastra itu disusun untuk mencapai efek-efek tertentu kepada pembacanya, seperti efek kesenangan, estetika, pendidikan, moral dan sebagainya. Kritik pragmatik ini berkecenderung untuk memberikan penilaian terhadap suatu karya sastra berdasarkan ukuran keberhasilannya dalam mencapai tujuan tersebut. Semakin banyak tujuan yang dicapai berupa nilai, pendidikan, moral atau agama yang terdapat dalam karya sastra yang berguna bagi pembacanya, makin tinggi nilai karya sastra tersebut.

   Hubungan antara karya sastra dan pembaca tampak pada skema berikut.

                        Karya sastra                                                      pembaca

                       

      Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana (pada masa pujangga baru) mengatakan bahwa karya sastra yang baik haruslah memberikan manfaat bagi masyarakat, yang kemudian dikenal dengan istilah sastra bertendens (Teeuw,1978).

c)      Kritik ekspresif

Kritik ekspresif adalah kritik sastra tang menekankan telaahan kepada kebolehan pengarang dalammengekspresikan atau mencurahkan idenya ke dalam wujud sastra, khususnya puisi. Dalam hal ini, kritik sastra cenderung untuk menimbang karya sastra dengan memperlihatkan kemmpuan pencurahan, kesejatian, atau visi penyair yang secara sadar atau tidak, tercermin pada karyanya tersebut.

Skema berikut menggambarkan hubunngan antara karya sastra dengan pengarang selaku pencipta. Dalam hal ini, karya sastra dianggap sebagai ekspresi gagasan, ide, pengalaman, ataupun emosi pengarang.

Pengarang:                                                             karya sastra

Ide, gagasan, emosi, pengalaman

 (lahir dan batin)

                       

      Kritik sastra ekspresif muncul pada abad ke 18 dan 19, yaitu pada zaman ketika para pengkritik sastra berusaha menyelami jiwa penyair melalui puisi-puisinya, atau sering diistilahkan dengan zaman romantik (Teeuw, 1984; Pradopo, 1994). Ucapan wordsworth dan John Stuart Mill tentang puisi yag dikutip oleh Teeuw (1984) menunjukkan pandangan kritik ekspresif: “Puisi adalah peluapan spontan dari perasaan yang kuat” atau “puisi adalah perasaan, mengaku diri kepada dirinya pada saat-saat kesunyian....”

      Kelemahan kritik ekspresif adalah adanya kecenderungan untuk mengembalikan (menyamakan) secara langsung realitas yang ada dalam karya sastra dengan realitas yag dialami sastrawan.

d)      Kritik objektif

Kritik objektif adalah kritik sastra yang menggunakan pendekatan atau pandangan bahwa suatu karya sastra adalah struktur yang mandiri. Ia tidak perlu dilihat dari segi pengarang, pembaca, atau duia sekitarnya. Ia harus dilihat sebagai objek yang berdiri sendiri, yang memiliki dunia sendiri.

Kritik ini sebagai pendekatan intrinsik karena kritik ini difokuskan pada unsur intrinsik karya sastra yang dipandang memiliki kebulatan, koherensi dan kebenaran sendiri. Contoh kritik sastra objektif adalah yang dilakukan oleh Pradopo (1995) terhadap puisi Chairil Anwar “Cintaku jauh di pulau”. Ia hanya menfokuskan pada unsur intrinsik puisi, yang antara lain terdiri dari  diksi, bahasa kiasan, citraan, bunyi, dan persajakannya. Padahal, dalam kenyataan tidak semua karya sastra memiliki hubungan secara langsung dengan apa yang dialami oleh sastrawan.

The Beautiful Marina

I make up my face carefully with foundation, powder, blacken eyes, eye shadow, blush on, and the last touch lipstick. I look my self in the mirror. Perfect! I admire my self that day after day, I'm getting more beautiful. I comb my long black hair. I’m glad to know my hair can grow as long as this. I take one of the picers in my accessories box. I turn around my body in front of the mirror to make sure that I look perfect now.  I think I look so beautiful now.

I’ve lived in this rented house for two years. even though it's small, this house is clean and tidy so I feel comfortable here. The biggest room is my bedroom with pink nuance. I put two big poster of my idol, Britney Spears and Madonna, on the wall. There is a small living room and a small kitchen where I usually practice my talent in cooking.

I escape from my family. I hate living with them. I’m the only child and my parents have divorced. They never really want to know about me because they are busy with their careers. My mother is a famous lawyer who always tries to win the case of her client. And my father is only a low income officer who always tries to get one’s promotion. I have ever tried to live with my mother and then my father, but I couldn’t stand the grumble of my step mother and my step father. My father is just the same as my mother; they seem to ignore everything about me. They have their own family now. I felt disappointed and I decided to choose my own way.

Now, I’m happy with my new life. I’ve got a good job as a cook in a prominent restaurant. But sometimes my heart flare up, why did I choose this way? I really love my parents and I’m afraid I’ll make them disappointed.

☺☺☺

 I walk elegantly pass the row of the stores. Today is my holiday and I have a n appointment with my best friend to shop together. I feel confident walk in the crowded place like this. Every man who pass me, straightly look at me. I think my high heels suit my slim body. My white skin is also matched with my pink blouse and my blue jeans. Actually some years ago I had black skin, but with a good treatment, my skin looks much brighter now.

“Marina!” shouts a girl’s voice’s calling me.

She is Shasa, my partner in the restaurant where I’m working now. We have made appointment to shop together. Shasa is a cute girl with cream colored skin. She is two years younger than me. I really like the two dimples on her cheek.

“Hey, I’ve waited for you for so long” grumble shasa.

“I’m so sorry, honey.” I say to Shasa. “Let’s start our shopping day.”

“OK” Shasa answers. “but, you have to promise to treat me lunch after shopping.”

“Of course, sweetie.”

Shasa smiles and her two dimples look so sweet. Her smile always makes me feel happy. It’s like I drink cool water when I’m thirsty.

I sit silently while my mind is flying so far away to my past. I remember my parents, my friends, and my beloved who has left me alone and married with another person.

“Marina, what’s wrong with you? Why are you so quiet?” Shasa asks and looks me curiously.

Shasa’s eyes remind me to someone. But, I don’t want to be washed away with that. “Come on, eat your lunch and we go home. I’m so tired”

“geee…don’t be mad, Marina. I’m scared to see your red eyes” Shasa spoils like a little child.

Shasa walks nimbly in front of me. She looks so cute like a junior high school student, even she is twenty years old now. I pull her hand to walk beside me. We walk to the bus stop with hands full of shopping bags.

It’s cloudy and getting dark. A red Honda Jazz stops in front of us.

“I think it’s my cousin’s car” Shasa observes the car.

I don’t care. I think Shasa is just joking.

“yeah, that’s Melanie and Romi.” Shasa is screaming when the window is opened.

I’m so surprised to see a woman on the car. It’s true, that’s Melanie with her husband. Suddenly, I feel so nervous. I don’t know what to do. I want to hide, but it’s too late. They’ve seen me now.

“How beautiful is your friend, Shasa. What’s her name?” asks Melanie.

“Oh, she is my friend, Marina – and this is my cousin, Melanie.” Shasa introduces us.

“Nice to meet you.” Melanie shakes my hand.

“Nice to meet you too.” My hands tremble.

Thanks God, Melanie doesn’t recognize my face. Even the shadow of my face is not flashed in her mind. Perhaps, she has forgotten me. Oh, I remember, I’m different now. I’m not my self like my self in the past.

“This man is Melanie’s husband – Romi.” Shasa introduces the handsome man who is standing beside her.

“Marina.” I shake the man’s hand that looks about thirty years old.

Although Melanie doesn’t move from her seat I can see her big stomach. She is pregnant and I think she will have a baby soon.  But, she looks more beautiful than before.

“I think I’ve ever seen you, Marina. But, I forget when?” Melanie says and thinks.

“Oh really?” I ask nervously. I feel the wind blows harder now.

“yeah” Melanie stops for a while. “You look like an actress. Uh, I forget her name, who?” she scratches her head.

“Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Kate Hudson, Anne Hathway,…..” Shasa tries to guess.

“Umm, Luna Maya, I mean.” Says Melanie surely.

 “Marina, do you want to go with us.” Shasa invites me.

“No thanks. It’s better if I take a bus because we aren’t in the same destination.”

“I’m so sorry. I have to leave you alone here” Shasa says sadly.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Then the car passes in front of me. I’m still standing to falter in the bus stop. Melanie was the girl, who had been my beloved. She has forgot me, but I’ll never forget her in my life; even though, she doesn’t love me anymore. In the past, people know me as the handsome Martin and now I’m the beautiful Marina. Nobody knows that I’m actually a man. This is the only way to escape from all my memories in the past.

♥♥♥ The End ♥♥♥

                                                                                                          ♣ By. Mary

Central Park New York

Central Park is a large public, urban park 843 acres (3.4 km²) (1.32 mi²). With about twenty-five million visitors annually, Central Park is the most visited city park in the United States, and its appearance in many movies and television shows has made it among the most famous city parks in the world.

The park was designed by landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted and architect Calvert Vaux in 1857. Central Park has been a National Historic Landmark since 1963.

While much of the park looks natural, it is in fact almost entirely landscaped. It contains several natural-looking lakes and ponds, extensive walking tracks, two ice-skating rinks, the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, a large area of natural woods, a 106 acre billion gallon reservoir with an encircling running track, and an outdoor amphitheater called the Delecorte Theater which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals. Indoor attractions include Belevedere Castle with its nature center, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and the historic Carousel. In addition there are numerous major and minor grassy areas, some of which are used for informal or team sports, some are set aside as quiet areas, and there are a number of enclosed playgrounds for children.

Early history

The park was not part of the Commissioners Plan of 1811; however, between 1821 and 1855, New York City nearly quadrupled in population. As the city expanded, people were drawn to the few open spaces, mainly cemeteries, to get away from the noise and chaotic life in the city.

The State appointed a Central Park Commission to oversee the development of the park, and in 1857 the commission held a landscape design contest. Writer Frederick Law Olmsted and English architect Calvert Vaux developed the so-called "Greensward Plan", which was selected as the winning design. According to Olmsted, the park was "of great importance as the first real Park made in this century—a democratic development of the highest significance…”, a view probably inspired by his stay, and various trips in Europe in 1850. During that trip he visited several parks, and was in particular impressed by Birkenhead Park near Liverpool, England, which opened in 1847 as the first publicly funded park in the world.

Before the construction of the park could start, the area had to be cleared of its inhabitants, most of whom were quite poor and either free African-Americans or immigrants of either German or Irish origin. During the construction of the park, Olmsted fought constant battles with the Park Commissioners, many of whom were appointees of the city's Democratic machine. In 1860, he was forced out for the first of many times as Central Park's Superintendent, and was replaced by Andrew Haswell Green, the former president of New York City's Board of Education took over as the chairman of the commission.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the park faced several new challenges. Cars had been invented and were becoming commonplace, bringing with them their burden of pollution. Also, the general mental view of the people was beginning to change. No longer were parks to be used only for walks and picnics in an idyllic environment, but now also for sports, and similar recreation. Following the dissolution of the Central Park Commission in 1870 and Andrew Green's departure from the project and the death of Vaux in 1895, the maintenance effort gradually declined, and there were few or no attempts to replace dead trees, bushes and plants or worn-out lawn. For several decades, authorities did little or nothing to prevent vandalism and the littering of the park.

The park in 2004

All of this changed in 1934, when Fiorello LaGuardia was elected mayor of New York City and unified the five park-related departments then in existence, and gave Robert Moses the job of cleaning up. Moses, then about to become one of the mightiest mighty men in New York City, took over what was essentially a relic, a leftover from a bygone era.

Activities in the park

Sports

New York's Central Park is not only a wonderful place in which to enjoy a relaxing walk or to take in a summer concert on the verdant expanse of the Great Lawn. It is also New York City's Playground.

Just north of the Reservoir you will find the Central Park Tennis Courts with 26 clay and 4 asphalt courts. That makes it the largest public tennis facility in all of New York City.

The Park offers an amazing array of spectator, team and solitary sports. Whether you want to relax and watch a softball game at the Heckscher Ballfields, play a pick up game of Basketball, or run a few laps around the Reservoir the Park has something for everyone.

The Park even has its very own Lawn Bowling area. Here the terribly civilised passtimes of Lawn Bowling and Croquet can be indulged in without fear of colonial intervention. Running and Race Walking are also very popular sports in the Park with the rolling hills and scenic pathways forming a challenging and interesting course Central Park also offers a variety of seasonal sports, as well. In the summertime you can go for a swim at Lasker Pool at the northern end of the park. The fall is the perfect time for running in the park, checking out the spectacular change in the foliage as you jog through the crisp air. In the winter there is always skating at Wollman Rink, or even cross-country skiing if there is enough snow. That leaves the springtime, which, aside from skating and sking, is the perfect time for just about anything in Central Park.

The Central Park Conservancy hosts a number of athletic programs and recreational programs throughout the year. These include classes in Yoga as well as Tai Chi.

 Entertainment

Each summer, the Public Theater presents free open-air theatre productions, often starring well-known stage and screen actors, in the Delacorte Theater. Most, though not all, of the plays presented are by William Shakespeare, and the performances are generally regarded as being of high quality since the start in 1962.

    

Summerstage features free musical concerts throughout the summer.

The New York Philharmonic gives an open-air concert every summer on the Great Lawn and the Metropolitan Opera presents two operas. Many concerts have been given in the park including the Simon and Garfunkel reunion; Diana Ross, 1983;Garth Brooks, 1997; Dave Matthews Band, 2003. Since 1992, local Singer-songwriter David Ippolito has performed almost every summer weekend to large crowds of passers-by and regulars, including visitors from around the world, and has become a New York icon. Often he is simply referred to as "That guitar man from Central Park."

Also each summer, City Parks Foundation offers Central Park Summerstage, a series of free performances including music, dance, spoken word, and film presentations. SummerStage celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2005, having welcomed emerging artists and world renowned artists over two decades, including Celia Cruz, David Byrne, Curtis Mayfield, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer winner Toni Morrison. The numerous portrait artists who work in Central Park have been interviewed and documented by Zina Saunders as part of her Overlooked New York project.

 Climbing

Another very interesting and unique offering of Central Park is its boulders. Climbers, especially boulderers (see bouldering) have made great use of Manhattan's bedrock, a glaciated metamorphic schist, which protrudes from the ground frequently and quite considerably in some parts of Central Park. There are about 5 - 10 spots where climbers congregate and tackle many of the boulders' offerings. The two most renowned spots, by climbers, are Rat Rock and Cat Rock, both of which sit on the south end of the park. Additionally, there are boulders spread throughout all the way up to 110th Street. Neophytes can rest assured that they will be helped and shown the specific problems and routes. Climbers here cherish the rock and visit regularly to exploit its climbing potential.

 Children

In addition to its 21 unique playgrounds, Central Park offers dozens of activities for children, including performances by master puppeteers at the historic Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre. The famous Central Park Carousel has thrilled children since the original one was built in 1870.

Sculptures

       Main article: List of sculptures in Central Park

      

Bronze statue of Christopher Columbus at Central Park, New York by Jeronimo Suñol, 1894.

Though Olmsted disapproved of the clutter of sculptures in the park, a total of twenty-nine sculptures have crept in over the years, most of which have been donated by individuals or organizations (and not the city itself). Much of the first statuary to appear in the park was of authors and poets, clustered along a section of the Mall that became known as Literary Walk. The better-known sculptors represented in Central Park include Augustus Saint-Gaudens and John Quincy Adams Ward. The "Angel of the Waters" at Bethesda Terrace by Emma Stebbins (1873), was the first large public sculpture commission for an American woman. The 1925 statue of the sled dog Balto who became famous during the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska is very popular among tourists, reflected in its near polished appearance as the result of being patted by countless visitors.

The oldest sculpture is "Cleopatra's Needle," actually an Egyptian obelisk of Tutmose III much older than Cleopatra, which was donated to New York by the Khedive of Egypt. The largest and most impressive is equestrian King Jagiello bronze monument on the east end of Turtle Pond. North of Conservatory Water, the sailboat pond, there is a larger-than-life statue of Alice, sitting on a huge mushroom, playing with her cat, while the Hatter and the March Hare look on. A large memorial to Duke Ellington created by sculptor Robert Graham was dedicated in 1997 near Fifth Avenue and 110th Street, in the Duke Ellington Circle.

For 16 days in 2005 (February 12 — 27), Central Park was the setting for Christo and Jeanne-Claude's installation, The Gates. Though the project was the subject of very mixed reactions (and it took many years for Christo and Jeanne-Claude to get the necessary approvals), it was nevertheless a major, if temporary, draw for the park

      

  Central Park Zoo

Welcome to the Wildlife Conservation Society's Central Park Zoo and the Tisch Children's Zoo. Here, just a few yards from 5th Ave. you’ll find over 130 different species ranging from giant Polar Bears to the Brazilian black tarantula. A walk around the Zoo’s five plus acres will take you through a variety of habitats, all carefully designed to recreate the natural environment of the animals they house. At the left you’ll see a list of links to the pages describing all of the Zoo’s inhabitants.

The Polar Zone contains two of the Zoo's most popular guests – Polar Bears Ida (on the right) and Gus. Alongside Polar Bears lies an exhibit featuring  Harbor Seals and nearby is the Ice Pack building which houses 61 Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins along with the Tufted Puffins.

The Tropic Zone houses a brilliant collection of tropical birds including the Fairy Blue Bird of Southeast Asia and the Scarlet-chested Parrot of Southern Australia. Here you’ll also find enough frogs, lizards, snakes, toads and various other squirmy things to keep any little boy enraptured for his entire visit. Then there are the Colobus Monkeys, as well as three species of Tamarins, to represent the primates of the tropic The Temperate Territory includes the California Sea Lion tank at the center of the exhibit and stretches around the rear of the Zoo. This section is home to the Red Pandas, Japanese Macaques and the almost urbanly manic North American River Otter. Here you’ll also find the Mandarin Ducks (happier residents then their cousins at nearby restaurants) and the lovely Swan Geese.

Central Park Facilities

A medley of heartwarming facilities greets you at the Central Park Hotel in Bangalore, Karnataka, and South India.
Central Park facilities are a colorful bouquet of useful amenities as well as lush luxuries.

Some of the important Central Park facilities that you can avail of include a reception desk, concierge facilities, complimentary breakfast, free newspapers, safety deposit lockers, barber, travel desk, beauty salon, florist, currency exchange, free vehicle parking, safety deposit boxes, a well equipped business center, luggage storage, non-smoking rooms, room facilities, gift shops and a lot more.

Business and conference facilities offered at the Central Park hotel in Bangalore, Karnataka, and South India are par excellence. Meeting rooms, secretarial services on request, work desks, computer terminals, Internet connectivity, clip boards, flip charts, projectors, microphones etc.

Central Park recreational facilities engage your attention, amuse and entertain you during your stay at the Central Park Hotel in Bangalore, Karnataka, South India. Work out at the Fitness center, relax near the cool swimming pool, surf the Internet at the in-house cyber café or amuse yourself with indoor and outdoor games. Avail of the travel desk facilities offered at the Central Park Hotel and visit the places of tourist attraction in Bangalore.

Central Park Bangalore dining is an incomparable food adventure. Sample the choicest dishes on the menu of the hotel's specialty restaurants. There is a multi-cuisine restaurant, a coffee shop and a bar that caters to the needs of your taste buds. Chinese, Continental, Indian, traditional Karnataka specialties heighten the pleasure of your taste buds.

Sufferance in a Beauty

By Riyuni Mark

Bella. Kenapa selalu saja Bella yang mendapatkan perhatian itu? Setiap kali bersamanya, leherku serasa tercekik dan dadaku terasa sesak. Coba saja bayangkan, ia selalu jadi bahan perhatian para cowok, mulai dari cowok yang dekil abist sampai cowok yang super keren. Bella memang cantik, matanya lentik dan bersinar bak berlian, hidungnya mancung, bibir semerah delima, plus body seksi dan rambut hitam lurus menjuntai. Semantara aku hanyalah seorang gadis biasa yang tak punya kelebihan secara fisik.
Bagaimanapun, Bella adalah sahabatku dari kecil. Jadi, suka tak suka, aku harus bisa bersabar meskipun semua cowok lebih memilih melirik Bella.
Hari ini aku dan Bella naik bus sekolah. Di atas bus, kami sudah tak kebagian tempat duduk. Kami berdua terpaksa berdiri. Tiba-tiba seorangcowok keren berkulit putih berdiri dan mempersilahkan Bella untuk duduk.
“silahkan duduk,miss.” Seru cowok itu tersenyum memperlihatkan gigi ginsulnya. “nggak pa-pa kok,thanks ya.”
Aku menelan ludah. Loh bagaimana denganku?
“kalau aku duduk,temanku juga harus duduk.” Jawab bella.
“Ben! Berdiri dong.temannya juga mau duduk tuh.”cowok ginsul itu mendorong-dorong temannya yang duduk di sebelahnya. “iya deh. Demi cewek cantik itu.” Jawabnya tersenyum manis melirik Bella.

***

Huuh….busyet! pembagian kelompok untuk pelajaran kimia lagi. Teman-teman cowok sudah pada berebutan agar sekolompok dengan Bella. Padahal, jelas-jelas bahwa dalam pelajaran kimia akulah ahlinya.
Pelajaran olah raga, Bella rupanya lupa membawa baju seragam olah raganya. Biasanya kami akan dihukum berdiri di lapangan sampai pelajaran usai apabila tidak mengenakan seragam olah raga. Begitu nama Bella di panggil untuk kena hukuman, ia langsung muncul dan berkata, “apa aku harus berjemur di lapangan, pak?” sungguh mujarab! Pak Fajar, guru mata pelajaran olah raga yang bujang lapuk langsung membatalkan hukumannya pada Bella. Malah Bella disuruh untuk jadi assistennya. Beberapa orang temanku yang notabene tak menyukai Bella, langsung mengajukan komplain. Mereka yang protes justru dihukum dengan pengurangan nilai. Sungguh tragis, kecantikanlah yang berbicara.

***

Bel panjang melengking ke seluruh penjuru sekolah, sudah waktunya pulang. Seperti biasa, aku pulang bersama Bella karena rumah kami memang jaraknya lumayan dekat. Setelah turun dari bus, kami menapaki loromg-lorong sempit. Sekumpulan cowok berandalan yang biasanya main kartu di sudut jalan bersiul-siul menggoda Bella. “suit…suit,cewek tas pink, balik dong!” ucapan mereka jeles-jelas tidak ditujukan padaku karena yang memakai tas selempang pink adalah Bella.
“cewek cantik knalan dong!” teriak mereka seperti anjing-anjing yang menggongong. Tapi Bella tetap berjalan cuek.
“wuih…so seksi! Pinggulnya bagaikan bebek yang menggat-menggot kalau lagi jalan.” Seru cowok kucel berambut gondrong. “mau dong…” yang lain langsung bereaksi.
Bella berputar berjalan kembli ke arah mereka. Cowok-cowok itu mengmatinya dengan tatapan terpesona. Namun Bella langsung meludah dengan ekspresi jijik. Sepertinya ia mulai geram dengan ejekan para berandalan itu. Kami lalu berjalan sperti tak pernah terjadi apa-apa.
***





Sudah dua hari ini aku tak ke sekolah karena terserang demam. sampai hari ini, Bella belum juga datang menjengukku. Bahkan kabarnya pun tak kuketahui. Terdengar suara mamaku memanggil-manggil dari ruang depan.
“ada apa sih ma?”
“kamu harus tahu, tadi mamanya Bella nelpon, ia bilang….”
“bilang apa, ma? Mamaku ada-ada saja. Pagi-pagi begini sudah membuatku penarasan.
“Bella udah nggak ada.”
“maksud mama, Bella kabur sama pacarnya, Andi.”
“bukan itu.” Mama berhenti sejenak. “ Bella sudah meninggal tadi subuh.”
Aku benar-benar terkejut mendengar berita itu. Darahku serasa beku. Kali ini leherku benar-benar tercekik dan dadaku begitu sesak. Bella meninggal karena bunuh diri. Ia menenggak anti nyamuk setelah diperkosa oleh lelaki yang tak dikenalnya. Beberapa saat kemudian, aku meraih ponselku di meja. Ada 9 panggilan tak terjawab dan sebuah pesan baru yang memang sejak tadi malam tak sempat kubaca. Aku makin terkejut, sms dari Bella.
KAWAN KAMU HARUS TAHU
BAGIKU KECANTIKAN ADALAH PENDERITAAN
Aku tak sanggup menahan isak tangis. Rupanya Bella masih sempat menghubungiku sebelum akhirnya ia memutuskan bunuh diri.

NOT ME BUT SHE

Semua bukan salahku. Aku sedih semua orang menuduhku, merendahkanku dan meyalahkanku. Bahkan ibuku sendiri sudah tidak percaya lagi padaku. Aku hanyalah kambing hitam atas perbuatan Maya. Aku tahu dia bukanlah gadis baik-baik, tapi di depan semua orang ia bisa bersikap seolah-olah dia adalah anak paling baik sedunia.

            Awalnya aku dituduh telah mencuri uang di warung ibu Ros. Purna, anak ibu Ros sendiri yang melaporkanku pada pak RT. Katanya ia melihatku masuk ke warung ibunya. Padahal, aku melihat dengan mata kepalaku sendiri, Maya masuk dan mengendap-endap ke warung ibu Ros, lalu membuka laci uang dan mengambil semua isinya. Aku yakin Purna menuduhku karena ia iri padaku. Di sekolah ia selalu kalah bersaing denganku. Selalu aku yang jadi juara kelas sedangkan nilai-nilainya masih selalu di bawahku. Ibuku terpaksa harus membayar ganti rugi pada bu Ros dan tentunya akulah yang diadili oleh seluruh keluargaku di rumah. Aku berusaha mengatakan yang sebenarnya tapi mereka tak percaya padaku. Maya membuatku semakin geram, kulihat ia tertawa sinis padaku.

            Maya adalah anak yang menumpang tinggal di rumahku. Aku tak mengerti bagaimana ia bisa tiba-tiba ada di rumahku. Bahkan aku harus rela berbagi kamar dengannya. Ia seusia denganku, postur tubuhnya pun sama denganku. Hanya saja penampilanya memang lebih sok alim. Ia selalu mengenakan jilbab, tapi aku tahu dibalik jilbabnya itu tersimpan sifat busuknya. Seringkali aku tidak bisa berkonsentrasi belajar karena ia meyalakan tape dengan volume keras lalu bergoyang sesuka hatinya. Tak ada yang tahu bahwa ia lah yang sengaja  melakukannya sehingga lagi-lagi aku yang disalahkan.

****

            Suatu hari, sepulang sekolah, aku berjalan melewati pos ronda menuju rumah. Kudengar ibu-ibu tetangga sengaja bergosip di depanku.

“kok bisa ya anak gadis dibiarin keluar malam-malam.” Kata ibu Rahma

“iya, berdua-duaan lagi sama anak laki-laki.” Sahut ibu Diana

            Siapa sih yang lagi digosipin? Agh, aku tak peduli siapa pun yang digosipin yang penting bukan aku. Tapi begitu sampai di rumah, aku langsung disambut oleh ibu dengan red hot chili peppernya. Ternyata yang tadi digosipin oleh ibu-ibu adalah aku. Kenapa aku lagi? Siapa yang telah tega menfitnahku?

“kata bu Syahira, semalam ia melihatmu berduaan dengan laki-laki tak dikenal di dekat pangkalan ojek, apa benar itu?” ibu bertanya dengan wajah teramat geram dan nada tinggi.

Melihat ibu, aku langsung merasa ketakutan.“maksud ibu apaan sih? Evi gak ngerti. Semalam tuh, Evi ada di kamar lagi tiduran karena capek habis les sore. Dasar Bu Syahira biang gosip.” Ucapku mengelak.

Maya melihatku, ia pura-pura terkejut lalu tertawa. Aku yakin, semalam dialah yang dilihat oleh Bu Syahira. Ia pasti sengaja melepas jilbabnya dan memakai bajuku diam-diam sehingga orang menyangka bahwa dia adalah aku. Ia sering melakukannya, keluar malam-malam lewat jendela kamar. Meskipun kuadukan,  ibu pasti tak kan percaya padaku karena di mata ibu, Maya adalah gadis paling penurut.

Seperti biasa, hari ini Maya menunjukkan topengnya, ia bersikap begitu manis pada semua orang di rumah. Ia pun melakukan semua pekerjaan rumah, memasak, membersihkan rumah, mencuci pakaian dan yang paling kubenci, ia mencuri perhatian ibu dengan cara memijat punggung dan bahu ibu. Syukurlah karena hari ini ibu tidak marah lagi padaku. Ibu malah membelikanku baju baru. Tentu saja Maya juga.

****

Langit mendung, sebentar lagi akan turun hujan. Aku masih berdiri di koridor sekolah menunggu Radi, cowok yang sudah setahun ini jadi pacarku. Ia sudah janji akan mengantarku pulang naik motornya. Sudah 15 menit aku menunggunya, tapi batang hidungnya tidak nongol juga. Tak lama kemudian ia muncul dengan motornya. Tapi... mataku melotot terkejut, melihat seorang cewek yang ada diboncengannya. Kenapa Radi tega mengkhianatiku? Kali ini mataku tak lagi melotot tapi rasanya sudah mau copot jatuh ke tanah.  Cewek yang diboncengnya adalah Maya. Hatiku benar-benar perih, hancur berkeping-keping. Rasa kecewa dan amarah terasa menggerogotiku.

****

Sekarang aku sudah puas. Segala bebanku telah terbang jauh. Aku memandang Maya yang terbujur kaku dengan mulut berbusa di dalam kamar yang telah terkunci. Aku memandang sebotol anti nyamuk cair yang tergeletak di  sebelah Maya. Benda itu telah menolongku dari jeratan Maya. Aku tertawa, “ha...ha...ha....”

Kalian harus tahu bahwa Maya adalah wujud dari kepribadianku yang lain. Aku tak mengerti dan tak akan pernah mengerti mengapa hal ini terjadi padaku. Aku telah membunuh Maya dengan membunuh diriku sendiri.

                                                                                    By

                                                                   Riyuni Mark

                                                                        19 October 2007