STEEL DOME
"Steel Dome" is a compelling coming-of-age novel portraying the inner struggles and growth of Muhammad Rasyid, a teenager from a narrow gang in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. Named after a revered religious figure, Rasyid carries the heavy expectations of his family—especially his father, Pak Sudirman, a hardworking heavy machinery mechanic who dreams of him becoming a pious religious scholar by attending a prestigious pesantren in East Java. Yet, Rasyid’s true passion lies in the world of mechanics and machines, a universe fragrant with oil and filled with the satisfying clinks of wrenches and pistons.
The story opens with Rasyid's humbling failure in a regional adhan (call to prayer) competition—a symbolic event representing his family’s hopes. This failure fractures the fragile peace at home, igniting a silent war of wills and expectations. His father, wounded by past family pressures and his own unfulfilled dreams of mechanical mastery crushed by his own father’s strict religious ideals, sees Rasyid’s mechanical interests as a betrayal. His mother, though torn, attempts to mediate through quiet support and understanding.
In the face of ultimatums—Rasyid is expected to enroll in the pesantren or bear the brunt of family and community disappointment—he embarks on a courageous quest for self-definition. The novel skillfully captures the isolation Rasyid feels as he distances himself from the surau (prayer room) and community rituals seeking solace and truth on his own terms.
A turning point arrives when Rasyid discovers the "Lingkar Pembaca" (Reader’s Circle), a welcoming community of peers and mentors who are also on personal journeys toward identity and meaning. Here, he finds a rare freedom to question, express doubt, and embrace his uncertainties without judgment. This shared space nurtures Rasyid’s resilience and sharpens his resolve to choose his own path.
Armed with determination and supported by data and narratives about successful alumni from his desired SMK Teknik Otomotif (Vocational School of Automotive Engineering), Rasyid prepares to confront his father. Their climactic conversation unfolds in the intimate, raw environment of the home workshop—a metaphorical battleground where tradition and dreams clash but also where understanding begins to build.
Rasyid’s pragmatic yet heartfelt arguments, combined with his willingness to undertake a demanding apprenticeship at the workshop, peel back the layers of his father’s hardened exterior. The father’s long-suppressed regrets and unspoken admiration for his son’s resolve surface, opening a fragile but promising space for reconciliation.
Parallel to these human dynamics, the novel paints a vivid picture of Balikpapan’s cultural milieu—the cacophony of motorbikes, the scents of local street foods, and the warmth of community life—all grounding Rasyid’s story in a richly textured reality that complements his internal battles.
The title, "Kubah Baja" (Steel Dome), symbolizes the novel’s central themes: strength, resilience, and unyielding honesty. It is embodied in Sari, Rasyid’s youngest sister, who dreams of building a mosque dome not from gold or marble but from shining steel—strong and transparent, just like the faith and identity her brother is forging amidst conflict.
Ultimately, "Kubah Baja" is a heartfelt narrative about the pursuit of authentic identity amid familial love, societal expectations, and personal doubts. It honors the courage it takes to ask difficult questions, to embrace imperfection, and to craft a life truthfully one’s own. Rasyid's journey resonates deeply with anyone who has felt the tension between inherited expectations and personal dreams, offering hope that strength and clarity come not from conformity but from the relentless search for one’s true self.
