<![CDATA[his research stems from the close relationship between literature and social conditions in society. As a form of literature, novels not only serve as a means of entertainment but also reflect various social issues that arise in society. This research aims to explain the representation of social life in Ahmad Tohari’s novel Bekisar Merah, by considering the author’s social context, literature as a mirror of society, and the social function of literature according to Ian Watt’s perspective on the sociology of literature. The approach applied in this research is a descriptive analytical approach with a focus on the sociology of literature. The data source used was obtained from the twelfth edition of the novel Bekisar Merah, published in 2025 by Gramedia Pustaka. The data analyzed included quotations that show the depiction of social life in the novel. The data collection method was carried out through reading and note-taking techniques, while data analysis was carried out by reading, grouping, describing, analyzing, and interpreting data based on Ian Watt’s theory. The research findings show that this novel reflects the social life of village communities affected by poverty, social injustice, economic inequality, community culture, and women’s issues. In addition, this novel also contains social functions in the form of social criticism, moral values, and religious values. In other words, the novel Bekisar Merah is not just entertainment, but also functions as a medium for reflection on the social life of society.]]>
