LINTANG

     

This morning I read Laskar Pelangi for the second time, and I,m still amazed with the way of Andrea Hirata defined his life story. It is so touching and inspiring me in many possible ways. It told me many auspicious life, such as :

- It makes me realize that no matter how hard our life, we don't have any excuses to blame the condition          and    abandon our life.

- God is fair. He always  gives us the same right to be successful person, each of us. No matter where    you're from or no matter the social status you have.

     Perhaps many of you have read this book and I do believe you have your own assesssment about this book. i have two books written by Andrea Hirata-Laskar Pelangi and Sang Pemimpi. I love both, but for Laskar Pelangi I have the most touching part, there it is :

      "Mungkin ia lebih berhak hilir mudik keluar negeri, mendapat beasiswa bergengsi, dibanding mereke yang mengaku dirinya intelektual tapi tak lebih dari ilmuwan tanggung tanpa kontribusi apapun selain tugas akhir dan nilai-nilai ujian untuk dirnya sendiri. Aku ingin membaca namanya dibawah sebuah artikel dalam jurnal ilmiah. Aku iningin mengatakan pada setiap orang bahwa Lintang, satu-satunya ahli genetika di Indonesia, orang yang telah menguasai operasi Pohon Pascal sejak kelas satu SMP. Orang yang memehami filosofi differensial dan integral sejak usia sedemikian muda, adalah murid perguruan Muhamadiyah, temanku sebangku.

      Namun hari ini LIntang ternyata hanya seorang laki-laki kurus yang duduk bersimpuh menunggu giliran kerja rodi. Kini ia terpojok di bedeng ini, tampak tak yakin akan masa depannya. Aku sering berangan-angan ia mendapat kesempatan menjadi orang melayu pertama yang menjadi matematikawan. Tapi angan-angan itu menguap, karena disini di dalam bedeng tak berpintu inilah Isacc Newton-ku berakhir"

English free translation :

      "Perhaps he deserves to go abroad and takes a prestigious schoolarship. he deserves to take all of it rather than those claiming they are an intellectual but actually they are only a fake scientist without any contribution except their final task and academic value for them self. I want to read his name in an article in the science journal. I want to say to everyone that Lintang the only one genetic expert in Indonesia, the person understanding Pascal's Triangle since Junior High School. The person understanding differential and integral's philosophy was a student of Muhamadiyah, my chairmate.

      But today Lintang is only a man sitting on the couch, waiting for work schedule. Now he is in this room and it seems he is not sure about his future. I often dream about he has an opportunity to be the first Melayu's person becoming a math expert, but that dream wont chase it self because here in this room, my Isaac Newton is over"

This part taken when Ikal (Andrea Hirata) visited Lintang in the PT TIMAH worker's dormitory

      When I read this part, I keep asking to my self why life could be so bad for some people. If God has another plan for Lintang, What's that !? Because I can't stand to hear a genius trapped in the scoundrel life, while in the other place there are many arrogant dumb people act like a genius, and the children of the rich abandoned education's chance.

      Then for many times Laskar Pelangi teached me (again) about appreciating the chance of studying. From now on, when I get lazzy I'll remember that there's Lintang-The genius who doesn't have a single opportunity to reach a great education.