THE PERSPECTIVE OF FREEDOM IN CLOUD ATLAS: THE ORISON OF SONMI-451 THE NOVEL

ABSTRAK Saraswati, Adienda D. 2015. Pursuing Freedom in the Novel Cloud Atlas: The Orison of Sonmi-451. English Department, Faculty of Letters, State University of Malang. Advisors: M. NasrulChotib, M. Hum and InayatulFariha, S. S., M. A. Keywords: Freedom, self-liberation, libertarian, anarchism The idea of freedom is highly significant in human life. As freedom is acknowledged as basic human rights, there are still numerous problem surroundings freedom, making the discussion infinite. This thesis attempts at analyzing the process of acquiring freedom occurred in the case of Sonmi-451 and unveiling philosophical ideas embedded within Sonmi’s idea of freedom. In this study, the researcher focuses on factors Sonmi needs to gain self-liberation from a total oppressed status represented in slavery and manipulation. Kantian, Sartre, and Heidegger’s existentialism philosophy is utilized to dissect and analyze the whole process of acquiring freedom. The analysis shows that in order to acquire self-liberation, the Sonmi as the object of oppression must be conscious of his/her own consciousness at the first place. The awareness is the only way to realize the reality and trigger the desire to reach a better state for the self. Second, she must educate herself with conditional knowledge which will enable her to comprehend the situation and empowers the self for a fight for freedom. Embedded within Sonmi’s idea of freedom is the philosophy of anarchy and liberalism for her wish to destroy governments’ system before renewing with the better one, and her goal to acknowledge that each individual is entitled to the property of himself. The researcher ends with findings that the idea of freedom is beyond reach without acquiring self-liberation, while self-liberation is impossible without being conscious of our self and continuous education for the sake of self-making. This mechanism agrees with existentialism values. This study also unearths the philosophy of anarchism and libertarian which apparently is in need when radical change for the sake of freedom is seen necessary