Narrating Inequality: Social Criticism, Power Structures, and Moral Crisis in Ayu Utami’s Saman

Social phenomena in Indonesia continue to reflect social inequality, human rights violations, and gender injustice despite advances in technology and freedom of expression. This study examines the forms of social criticism represented in Ayu Utami’s novel Saman, focusing on poverty, crime, family disorganization, violation of norms, and environmental degradation. The study employs a qualitative descriptive design using a sociocritical or literary-sociological approach, which views literary texts as reflections of the interaction between the author and social reality. The data consist of excerpts from the novel that represent social phenomena. Data were collected through close reading and systematic note-taking, then classified based on Soekanto’s categories of social criticism. Data validity was ensured through bibliographic triangulation and citation consistency checks. The analysis was conducted descriptively and interpretively to reveal the social messages and human values contained in the novel. The findings show that Saman strongly voices social inequality and the failure of social systems in protecting society, as seen in the portrayal of poverty, crime and sexual violence against women, family disorganization, violations of legal and social norms, and environmental damage caused by forced plantation clearing. This study enriches the understanding of social criticism in Indonesian literature and demonstrates how literary works function as a medium of moral and social reflection, encouraging awareness of justice, humanity, and social responsibility.