MALAY LITERATURE VOLUME 29 NUMBER 2 DECEMBER 2016 BOOK REVIEW Rahimah A. Hamid, 2017. Proses Kreatif Sensitiviti dan Kreativiti Pengarang. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 294 pages, ISBN 9789834618254. Reviewer: Norhayati Ab. Rahman yati@um.edu.my. Malay Literature Department, Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya. Published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in 2017, Proses Kreatif Sensitiviti dan Kreativiti Pengarang is the latest work by Dr. Rahimah A. Hamid, a lecturer in creative writing at the School of Humanities, USM. In general, this book of 294 pages talks about psychological discipline and aesthetics, which are seen as the main motivating factor in activating the sensitivity and creativity of a writer when producing a literary composition. Psychology of aesthetics is a technique or method to assess the writer s sensitivity and creativity during the creation of a literary work. This book is divided into five main chapters, beginning with the first chapter: Memahami Karya Kreatif, or Understanding Creative Literature. Chapter Two discusses the connection between aesthetic psychology and a writer s sensitivity. Chapter Three is about the characteristics of a writer s aesthetic psychology as the catalyst of sensitivity and creativity. The next chapter, Chapter Four, concentrates on sensitivity and creativity as the fundamentals of a writer s creative process. The last chapter is the conclusion which provides an overall summary of each chapter discussed earlier. In the first chapter, the author discusses the meaning and concept of creative writing based on the viewpoints of several Eastern and Western scholars. Quoted in the book are scholars such as Propp, Jakobson, Rogers, Daiches, Sayyid Qutub, Md. Salleh Yaapar, Muhammad Haji Salleh and Shahnon Ahmad. The introduction states that the process of producing a creative work is a three-way interaction between the writer as the creator and the work produced, between the work and the readership, and between 174
HALIMAH MOHAMED ALI the writer and the readership. This chapter also stresses on the meaning of sensitivity, defining it as the ability of the writer to collect and distill raw material from actual facts or conditions, which are then digested and turned into a beautiful and effective piece of work. Creativity is described as the writer s mental ability to process and transform the material into a new composition that suits the subject of his writing. This chapter also includes a discussion of the reasons that compel a writer to write. Chapter Two discusses the connection between aesthetic psychology and a writer s sensitivity. Psychology and aesthetics are shown to complement each other, especially in bringing out the internal personality of a writer, which can spark the writer s sensitivity and aesthetic nature and thus enable him to produce a literary work. Thus, psychology and aesthetics are very significant in the creative process for a writer. This part of the discussion is further divided into four main sub-titles: Psychology, aesthetics, the writer s aesthetic psychology and sensitivity, and the writer s aesthetic psychology and creativity. Each sub-title defines the terms, and explains the concepts and their function in the writer s process of creating or writing. The justification is made as this approach views literary works as narrations of a writer s feelings, the results of his/her thought, personal experience and observation of life around him/her. Apart from that, this section also briefly compares the creative process of writers from the East and the West. This section then concludes that both psychology and aesthetics are linked to the human soul, which desires and appreciates beauty. The combination of both disciplines may sharpen a writer s means of observation and ability to transform information, such as perception, memory and thinking, by stimulating the writer s sensitivity and creativity when producing a creative literary work. In Chapter Three, a further discussion on psychology of aesthetics points out that psychological factors determine the characteristics of a person, developing out of a person s internal self as well as external factors that influence them. To support this opinion, the author quotes several opinions of Western scholars, supported by an Islamic perspective. The section further draws attention toward two main aspects, firstly that of the writer s internal image, and secondly, the writer s external image. Concerning internal image, the author discusses the writer as an individual, and as a person with faith in God. A person s attitude or spirit is formed by the experiences he/she has gone through, that interact with one another. A person s actions in his daily life are what makes up the whole of their self, not merely their body. At the same time, a writer has to interact with society, talk about society, while at the 175
MALAY LITERATURE VOLUME 29 NUMBER 2 DECEMBER 2016 same time becoming the object spoken about in society, especially by readers. A writer s concept of self is not built in a short period of time but is formed from vast experience accumulated throughout their life. These experiences are the essential elements that forming their aesthetic- psychological internal image. Other elements of this internal image that play a role in the writer s character are inspiration and intuition, which is guidance from God (instinct). An important aspect in influencing writing is language as the medium of communication, followed by motivation that develops the will and ability of the writer to write. These are all shown to be internal factors that form the aesthetic-psychological factors that spark a writer s sensitivity and creativity. In the section sub-titled Pengarang sebagai Makhluk Berketuhanan, the writer is discusses as a person with faith in God. The discussion concerns the connection of humans and God, a link that in turn affects the connection of humans with one another. If a person believes in the existence of God, they will have an objective in life and work towards something beneficial for themselves in this world and the hereafter. Therefore, such writers will make their creative writing a platform to present the unseen future reality whose existence is assured. Moving next to the aspect of the writer s external image, the discussion is focused on the aspect of the writer as a person with a physical and a social surrounding. Both these aspects are interconnected, for it is the reality of life that humans as creations, live in physical and social surroundings. What is meant by physical surroundings is nature, for instance the planets, material world, earth, water, air, flora and fauna, and the like, in which surround human life. For several reasons, such surroundings are very crucial for a writer. Firstly, since a writer is born in such physical surroundings, these also influence the writer s thought, feelings, attitudes and actions, and characteristics. Secondly, because of a writer s familiarity and intimate knowledge of his physical surroundings, it will become material for and the background in his creative work. Consequently, it stimulates the writer s sensitivity and creativity in the creative process. In discussing the subject, the author includes examples based on the writings of several authors such as Shahnon Ahmad, Arena Wati, A. Samad Said, Pramoedya Ananta Toer and others. In the last section of this chapter, the author further discusses the writer as a socially-surrounded person. This is apt because a writer is born in society, interacts with society and later writes about the society, being himself a member of society. Therefore, the social situation that surrounds a writer is where the writer gets inspiration from to construct a creative work. 176
HALIMAH MOHAMED ALI At the same time, it is relevant to state that literature is social discourse. The conclusion of this chapter is that the scope of sensitivity and creative ability will expand and develop further. Thus, the work produced will be more accurate and convincing based on the fact that life itself is built from the two elements that have been discussed, which are the writer s internal and external personality. Chapter Four of this book illustrates that the process of producing a creative work comprises five main phases. Firstly, the sensitive and perceptive phase, in which a writer s sensitivity is affected by certain ideas. Secondly, the planning and preparation phase in constructing the content, pattern and outline of statements of the work to be produced, based on the idea perceived earlier. Thirdly, the phase of gestation and incubation in which the material or ideas collected develop beneath the layers of the sub-conscious mind, growing to maturity. Fourthly, the writing phase, that is, when the material or ideas have matured. Fifthly is the checking and editing phase, which is when the complete script is checked and improved upon until the end product is satisfactory to the writer. For every discussion of the phases of sensitivity and creativity in producing a creative work, the author provides examples quoted from the creative process by several prominent local and international authors. Among the local authors whose writing processes are mentioned are Marsli NO, Azizi Haji Abdullah, A. Latif Mohidin, Muhammad Haji Salleh, Abdullah Hussein, Nordin Hassan, A. Rahmad, and others. However, the conclusion of this section states that the creative process is not the same for each author. There are writers that can write well, without the need to study the process of writing. Some writers have studied and read about the techniques of writing, especially writers from the West, but not all the writers practice what they have learnt. Apart from that, many writers are inspired to write because of emotional pressure, impulsivity, and excitement due to certain intentions. On the other hand, this chapter concludes that the work written based on knowledge acquired from the writing experience of several writers is much better compared to those work based on personal intuition alone. Thus, the process of producing a creative work is able to train a writer s aesthetic-psychological sensitivity and creativity in order to write in a much better- planned and disciplined condition. Chapter Five is the last chapter of this book that concludes and summarizes the whole study. In the ending section, the author presents some results of the study by way of a summary. Firstly, the study finds that aesthetic psychology is the pillar that supports the ability of the writer in producing a creative work. 177
MALAY LITERATURE VOLUME 29 NUMBER 2 DECEMBER 2016 The ability is the result of the writer s aesthetic psychology to produce a strong, keen, unique and extraordinary sensitivity and creativity, that exceeds the sensitivity and creativity of ordinary people. Secondly, that sensitivity is the initiator or activator of the creative process in creative writing. The study also shows that the writer s sensitivity is also roused by outside stimulus received at the conception stage. Thirdly, it summarizes that sensitivity and creativity should not be separated from the psychology and aesthetics. This is because the sensitivity and creativity is the result the writer s aesthetic psychology, hence it enables the writer to possess the perceptiveness and great ability to interpret something which is probably not thought of by others, and reproducing it in his/her creative work. Fourthly, the study concludes that the writer s experience can be processed much better, and more beautifully, if the writer is knowledgeable. Fifthly, this study concludes that the beauty of a creative work also depends on the strength and ability of the writer s power of sensitivity and creativity to express and project something that the writer, using his aesthetic psychology, feels is attractive. The beautiful feeling that touches the writer s soul of the writer sets off the writer s sensitivity and creativity to write. Sixthly, the sensitivity and creativity can also be the result of the writer s aesthetic-psychological internal and external personality. The writer s internal personality portrays his characteristics as an individual with faith in God, while his external personality portrays his position as a person with physical and social surroundings. Lastly, the study presents the theory on the creative process, whereby each writer basically goes through five stages of activity in the writing process before a work is complete. These stages are sensitivity and perception, planning and preparation, incubating, writing, and checking and editing. Generally, this book is very useful to every writer, or to those who aspire to be writers, to learn the systematic processes of writing. Likewise, critics of creative writing will find that this book presents a systematic method of evaluating creative writing, for which, prior to this, not much of its kind has been published in Malaysia. By understanding and grasping the principles of knowledge regarding the discipline of psychology of aesthetics, it is believed that it can help writers and critics in the process of writing or evaluating a creative work. In other words, this book is a must-read for Malaysian writers and critics of literature. However, there are a few minor weaknesses in the writing presentation of this book which can be improved in the future. Among the weaknesses that are found are the use of sources, as the author quotes many secondary 178
HALIMAH MOHAMED ALI sources instead of primary ones. An example is a quotation from the view of Propp and Jakobson in Lutfi Abas (p. 3), Sayyid Qutub in Sugiyono (p. 2), Zangwill in Sohaimi Abdul Aziz (p. 490), Russel in Zakaria Osman (p. 53), Reid in Sidi Gazalba (p. 57), Liebman in Arena Wati (p. 87), and others. Other than that, the sources of some of the quotations are not mentioned (p. 58), and there are repetitions of names of writers in stating the sources quoted (p. 218, and p. 250). While the weaknesses mentioned do not affect the content of the text but it does reduce the quality of the presentation somewhat. 179