Cultural Signs in Toraja Novels; When Love Finds Its Way Home; Charles Sanders Pierce Semiotic Studies

Abstract

The aims of this research are; (1) Describe the form of cultural signs in the novel Toraja; When Love Finds its Way Home based on Charles Sanders Pierce's semiotic theory. (2) Describe the meaning of cultural signs in the novel Toraja; When Love Finds Its Way Home.  This research is a qualitative research. The data in this study are data obtained from novels in the form of icons, indexes and symbols as well as data obtained from interviews. Sources of data in this study is a novel entitled Toraja; When Love Finds its Way Home by Endang, SSN, and also an informant who is the head of the Ke'te Kesu' tradition in North Toraja. The data collection technique used in this study is a documentation technique which includes observing and recording the various signs that are needed, as well as using open interview techniques.  The results of this study indicate that the form of the sign is more dominant in the novel Toraja; When Love Finds its Way Home is a symbol consisting of five data. In addition to symbols, researchers also found signs in the form of icons (one data) and indexes (two data). As we know that based on his criteria, Pierce distinguishes signs into three, namely icons, indexes and symbols.