Idrus' first short stories, such as "Ave Maria", showed hints of romanticism; by the time wrote "Surabaya", however, he had become jaded with the realities of life.
Cerita pendek pertama Idrus adalah "Ave Maria", menunjukkan petunjuk dari romantisisme, pada saat menulis "Surabaya", bagaimanapun, dia telah menjadi letih dengan realitas kehidupan.