Title: This Earth of Mankind
Author: Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Original Copyright : 1975
Translator : Max Lane
Translation Copyright: 1990
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ( powerful )
Back Cover Description
Minke is a young Javanese student of great intelligence, sensitivity and ambition. Living equally among the colonists and colonized of late nineteen-century Java, he battles against the confines of colonial strictures. The son of a noble Javanese, he moves easily among the Dutch and their ideas and language bu is prevented from enjoying their rights. He also falls desperately in love with the beautiful Indo-European Annelies, and it is through her and her extraordinary family that Minke finds the strength to embrace his world- the world of Indonesia -- and all its beauty and possibility , brutality and anger.
This remarkable tale, the first in the Buru Quartet, was originally recited orally by Indonesian political prisoner Pramoedya Ananta Toer to his fellow cellmates in daily installments.
My Thoughts
I always find books that provide a glimpse into other cultures interesting, especially non-European cultures, and This Earth of Mankind was no different. I can't say I knew much about Indonesia beyond where it was on a map, that is made up of thousands of islands, and that it is predominantly Muslim. I didn't even realize that Indonesia was under Dutch colonial rule for close to three-hundred and fifty years, ending just AFTER World War II. This Earth of Mankind is the first of four books in the "Buru Quartet" and takes place in the late 1890's when the age of Indonesian enlightenment as Toer called it was in its infancy.
Throughout the book, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of social rankings at play in Dutch Indies. There were "pure-blood" Europeans who were at the top of the totem pole, "Indos" which are mixed race, then "Natives", then the Malay and Chinese immigrants at the bottom. Just as I thought I would get a handle of the general social dynamics another layer would be added.
Our main character, Minke, is a Native who is the grandson of a high-level native government official. This entitles Minke to be one of the few natives which may attend a European school to get a European education. Minke is trying to be a progressive, forward thinking Javanese native caught between two worlds. The European teachers see him has stepping stone to a self sustaining Indonesia, however, to the Dutch government officials he is no better than any other native. To his own people he is an outcast as they see him abandoning their native culture to become one of "them".
P.A. Toer puts This Earth of Mankind's foundation in Minke's alien social status and pairs him up with his love interest, an Indo girl named Annelies. Toer glues together a wonderful story of the tangled web of a budding love between Minke and Annelies, the daughter of a strong-willed, self educated native concubine who is determined to make something of her life, and her drunken absentee Dutch official father. Weave in her jealous sibling Robert, Minke's own strict family, a french painter with one leg, and a man only known as "Fatso" and This Earth of Mankind becomes a great, readable, and eye-opening novel.
Even though this book didn't end on the highest of notes, it did end with hope. I will definitely be picking up the remaining books of this series to follow Minke on his road to enlightenment.
Throughout the book, I was overwhelmed by the complexity of social rankings at play in Dutch Indies. There were "pure-blood" Europeans who were at the top of the totem pole, "Indos" which are mixed race, then "Natives", then the Malay and Chinese immigrants at the bottom. Just as I thought I would get a handle of the general social dynamics another layer would be added.
Our main character, Minke, is a Native who is the grandson of a high-level native government official. This entitles Minke to be one of the few natives which may attend a European school to get a European education. Minke is trying to be a progressive, forward thinking Javanese native caught between two worlds. The European teachers see him has stepping stone to a self sustaining Indonesia, however, to the Dutch government officials he is no better than any other native. To his own people he is an outcast as they see him abandoning their native culture to become one of "them".
P.A. Toer puts This Earth of Mankind's foundation in Minke's alien social status and pairs him up with his love interest, an Indo girl named Annelies. Toer glues together a wonderful story of the tangled web of a budding love between Minke and Annelies, the daughter of a strong-willed, self educated native concubine who is determined to make something of her life, and her drunken absentee Dutch official father. Weave in her jealous sibling Robert, Minke's own strict family, a french painter with one leg, and a man only known as "Fatso" and This Earth of Mankind becomes a great, readable, and eye-opening novel.
Even though this book didn't end on the highest of notes, it did end with hope. I will definitely be picking up the remaining books of this series to follow Minke on his road to enlightenment.
I also loved these books, but read them so long ago. Thanks for reminding me of Toer's storytelling.
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