Psycho-social Development of the Main Characters in the Novels Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and Cantik itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan: A Comparative Study
The DOI wasn't working at the time I added it to the database. The other links were, though, including the download which is available from the second Internet Archive link. Here's the abstract:
This study conducts a comparative analysis of the psycho-social development of the female protagonists in Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and Cantik itu Luka by Eka Kurniawan, using Erik H. Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development as the primary analytical framework. Through a qualitative comparative literary approach, the research examines how Angel and Dewi Ayu navigate complex psychological trajectories shaped by trauma, identity crises, and sociocultural pressures. Despite cultural differences, American evangelical society and postcolonial Indonesian contexts, their developmental paths reveal both parallels and divergences in the negotiation of agency, intimacy, and selfhood. The analysis highlights how each character’s psychological growth is influenced by intersecting personal and structural factors, including patriarchy, commodification, and cultural narratives of suffering and redemption. Angel’s progression toward psychosocial integrity contrasts with Dewi Ayu’s descent into existential despair, reflecting broader ideological distinctions in the authors’ respective cultural milieus. While Rivers frames healing through religious faith and personal transformation, Kurniawan presents a critique of systemic violence and unresolved trauma. Textual analysis is based on close readings of key narrative moments that illustrate psychosocial struggle and adaptation, with attention to character development, thematic construction, and socio-historical context. The findings underscore the value of comparative literature in illuminating universal patterns of human development while also accounting for culturally specific experiences. This research contributes to the discourse on literature, psychology, and cross-cultural analysis by demonstrating how fictional narratives can reflect and interrogate the dynamics between individual identity formation and societal structures.
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I was unable to locate some of the works listed in the references:
Alexander, P. (2018). Redeeming Love: A theological and literary analysis of Francine Rivers' bestseller. Baker Academic.
Although I searched WorldCat and Google Books and the website of Baker Academic I was unable to locate such a work.
Peterson, E. (2021). "Faith narratives in contemporary Christian fiction: The spiritual impact of Redeeming Love." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, 33(2),120–135.
Vander Lei, E. (2008). "Francine Rivers' Redeeming Love and the evangelical romance novel." Christianity and Literature, 57(4), 553–578.
This did not appear to exist in volume 57.4 of Christianity and Literature. I should note that I did not check all the items listed in the references, so there may be more which I would not have been able to locate.
The DOI wasn't working at the time I added it to the database. The other links were, though, including the download which is available from the second Internet Archive link. Here's the abstract:
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I was unable to locate some of the works listed in the references:
Although I searched WorldCat and Google Books and the website of Baker Academic I was unable to locate such a work.
Although I checked the Journal of Religion and Popular Culture volume 33.2 I could not find this item either.
I checked issue 54.3 (2005) of Christianity and Literature and it did not contain this article.
Since no volume or page numbers were given, I checked all the issues published in 2020 in the Journal of Religion and Popular Culture and could not find this article.
This did not appear to exist in volume 57.4 of Christianity and Literature. I should note that I did not check all the items listed in the references, so there may be more which I would not have been able to locate.