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Building Empathy And Unveiling Reality: The Role Of Metaphor And Simile In Max Havelaar, Barbara Elisabeth Lucia Pesulima

International Review of Humanities Studies

In Indonesia Multatuli's Max Havelaar is regarded as a powerful indictment of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. Extensive research has explored the novel's historical context, social critique, and its influence on Indonesian nationalism, but less attention has been paid to the literary devices that give the novel its enduring emotional power. This paper fills this gap by examining how metaphor and simile presented in the dialogs found in the novel function as key instruments in shaping the reader's experience. Existing studies of Max Havelaar often delve into the novel's historical background, its scathing critique of Dutch colonial practices, and its role …