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VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Negotiating meaning: Audience reception of Ratih Kumala’s Gadis Kretek and its film adaptation
Authors
Zita Rarastesa, Sri Kusumo Habsari, Mugijatna, Susilorini, Yuyun Kusdianto, Fairuz Su’da
Abstract
Ratih Kumala’s Gadis Kretek, inspired by her family’s involvement in
the kretek cigarette industry, was adapted into a film directed by Kamila
Andini and Ifa Isfansyah. As semi-autobiographical narratives, both the novel
and its adaptation offer fertile ground for examining audience interpretation
and cultural resonance. This study investigates readers’ and viewers’
receptions of Gadis Kretek through Focus Group Discussions, employing
Reader-Response Theory as the primary analytical framework. The theory
positions readers as active agents who construct meaning through their personal
experiences, values, and socio-cultural contexts, challenging the notion of
fixed authorial authority. Interpretation is thus viewed as a dynamic and
dialogic process shaped by the interaction between the text and the audience.
By situating reception within a collective interpretive context, this study
seeks to illuminate how diverse audiences negotiate meaning and emotional
engagement with both the novel and its cinematic adaptation.
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Pages:16-22
How to cite this article:
Zita Rarastesa, Sri Kusumo Habsari, Mugijatna, Susilorini, Yuyun Kusdianto, Fairuz Su’da "Negotiating meaning: Audience reception of Ratih Kumala’s Gadis Kretek and its film adaptation". International Journal of Social Research and Development, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 16-22
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