This Earth of Mankind

On a gray Sunday afternoon, Minke grows anxious about the possibility of encountering Fatso. While riding with Annelies the day before, he had glimpsed Fatso. Discussing this with Darsam, he discovers that Fatso has been seen around the city. They speculate about him being an assassin hired by Robert M. Minke cautions Darsam not to attack Fatso with his machete if he should appear. Everyone at Wonokromo is on edge.

When Fatso appears, calmly walking past the entrance to Wonokromo, Darsam runs after him with his machete. Minke runs after Darsam, trying to stop him. Annelies runs after Minke, and Nyai runs after Annelies. The five runners reach Babah’s brothel, where Fatso disappears. One after another, they charge into the brothel, where they discover the dead body of Herman. As they stand around the body, Maiko appears, followed by Robert M., who is scarcely recognizable. When he sees Darsam and the machete, he flees, jumping out a window and running away. Instructing Minke and Darsam to stay, Nyai takes Annelies home, saying she will send a carriage. However, a police carriage arrives, and Minke is forced to give the police his proper name—which is not mentioned anywhere in the narrative.

Minke becomes notorious following the death of Herman. Newspapers in many languages report that Herman died after drinking poisoned alcohol. Minke and Darsam’s names appear in all the articles. Using his position as a journalist, Minke deals with the fallout through articles; this increases the paper’s circulation. Minke receives supportive letters from the de la Croix sisters, a grieving letter from his mother, and his illiterate father’s condemnation through his older brother. The Dutch language papers continually suggest that Minke and Nyai should be investigated in regards to Herman’s murder. In response, Nyai remarks, “They can’t stand seeing Natives not being trodden under their feet. Natives must always be in the wrong, Europeans must be innocent” (278). For the first time, Nyai begins to refer to Minke as “son.”

With Fatso and Robert M. absent, the Dutch prosecutors deal with Herman’s death by charging Babah with murder. Journalists arrive from all over the country to follow the trial. The school dismisses class so students and teachers can attend. Babah acknowledges he drugged Herman with “an aromatic palm wine” (282), though he said it should not have caused permanent damage. When a Chinese physician refutes Babah’s testimony, Babah finally confesses to the crime, saying he was tired of Herman hanging around after five years. The court does not allow Nyai, a Native, to testify in Dutch, telling her to testify in Javanese. Instead, she testifies in Malay. She explains that she paid a monthly bill for Herman and Robert M. to use the services of Babah’s brothel; she had never seen Babah until his appearance in the courtroom.

The prosecutors make a point of questioning Minke about his relationships with Annelies and Nyai, causing courtroom spectators to laugh. Minke finds this offensive, as it is irrelevant to the trial. After two weeks, the judge pauses the trial, ordering that it be continued when the authorities locate Fatso and Robert M.

At the conclusion of the trial, Minke returns to school where the director calls him into his office, congratulates him on successfully defending himself during the trial, and expels him. After his convoluted explanation of why the school is dismissing him, the director asks Minke if he understands their reasoning. Minke replies, “More than understand” (286). As he departs, Magda runs to him and says she fought to retain him.

Minke reflects on Nyai’s response to the prosecutor asking why she allowed Minke and Annelies to sleep together. Speaking illegally in Dutch and ignoring the judge as he tries to gavel her down, Nyai describes the conditions under which she became a concubine against her will. She expresses the hypocrisy of the colonial Dutch, which allows her to be a sex slave without question while ridiculing the “pure love” (287) between Annelies and Minke because one is an Indo and the other a Native. An officer drags Nyai from the courtroom as she continues to expose the Europeans’ pretentiousness.

Minke goes to see his friend Jean, who tells him about supportive editorials in various newspapers and encourages him to marry Annelies immediately. When Minke suggests this to Nyai, she asks him to wait until her businesses recover from the downtime resulting from the trial. Minke writes an article about the precarious, unappreciated position of nyais and their children.

Magda shows up at Wonokromo 10 days after the publication of Minke’s article. The director sent her to ask him to attend a meeting at the school. Though he initially refuses, Magda persuades him to return. Minke attends a meeting with the school’s instructors and learns that his article has caused a public outcry. Several important individuals, including Herbert de la Croix, have petitioned the school to readmit Minke. The instructors have decided to allow Minke to receive his diploma with severe limitations. Minke accepts their offer.

Minke rides to the newspaper office, where he receives an offer of a full-time position. He is warned to distance himself from Magda, who has been marked as a “fanatical radical because of her membership in the ‘Indies for the Indies’ movement […] They say the Indies should be equal with the Netherlands” (294). Minke wrestles with the idea that Pure-Blood Europeans could be so hostile toward other Pure-Bloods. At his boarding house, he receives a letter from his mother expressing pride in him and encouraging him to follow his own path, reminding him of the principles she instilled in him. Minke decides to marry Annelies after finishing his school exams.

After three months of uninterrupted study, Minke takes his exams and shows up to the school’s graduation ceremony with Annelies. Her beauty stuns the teachers and guests. Minke remains the only Native. He is stunned upon learning he is the second highest scoring graduate throughout the Indies. When the director shakes his hand, Minke invites him to attend his wedding to Annelies the following Wednesday. Minke then allows him to invite all the students and guests as well.

The only representative from Minke’s family, his mother, shows up days before the wedding ceremony to help prepare. The ceremony is conducted according to Islamic custom, at 9am. The wedding party takes place in the evening; at the end of the ceremony, Robert S. enters, presents Annelies with a golden diamond ring, and immediately departs. When Annelies refuses the ring, Minke realizes that Robert S. had loved her just as he does; she makes Minke promise to return the ring. Among the wedding gifts, Minke receives a pen with a note saying, “Greetings and best wishes to the doves Minke and Annelies Mellema, with the hope that you will forgive and forget a person you do not know except by the name: Fatso” (319).

After the graduation and wedding, Minke records a number of developments among the narrative’s characters. Fired by the school, Magda returns to the Netherlands and discovers Robert S. working on the same ship. Robert S. writes a letter to Minke confessing that all his underhanded behavior was an attempt to drive a wedge between Minke and Annelies, whom he still desperately loves. Minke’s request to travel to the Netherlands to continue his education is refused because he is not deemed morally acceptable.

Six months after the wedding, Annelies and Nyai are summoned to the Dutch court; Minke waits for them at Wonokromo. They return four hours later, extremely distraught. Minke discovers that Herman’s elder son, Maurits, has begun legal proceedings to claim Wonokromo. In Amsterdam, he has obtained a court order that not only gives him control of Herman’s other children’s finances but allows him to bring Annelies to Amsterdam under his protection as she is legally a minor. The judge told Nyai that, being an unmarried Native, she has no rights to dispute this legal action: “Actually our business is only with Annelies […] You are a nyai, a Native, you have no business with this court” (329). Nyai’s attorney arrives, examines the documents, and explains that Maurits is in a much stronger position.

Minke realizes that Maurits and his mother desired revenge and wanted Herman dead. He decides “this was what was called a colonial case […] a case of swallowing up a conquered Native people” (333). As he reflects, Minke comes to believe that Herman’s murder, his being summoned him back to school, and Magda being sent away were all part of a conspiracy to allow Maurits to assume possession of Wonokromo and Annelies. Minke resorts to his greatest skill, writing an article about the unfairness of the situation. Annelies, unable to handle the stress, becomes bedridden again. Nyai convinces Minke to write in Malay rather than Dutch, which will reach a greater audience and be more confrontive. As Minke gains more supporters, the group is also joined by a famous attorney who has been sent by Herbert.

The new attorney examines the case closely, asking many questions. Eventually, he reiterates that they cannot win against Maurits. As a result of their legal action, Annelies and Nyai are summoned before the judge again. Because Annelies is bedridden, Minke goes in her place. Despite protestations, Annelies is ordered to embark on a ship to the Netherlands in five days.

As news of the court’s decision spreads, angry groups of Native fighters, the Madurese, gather to prevent Annelies from being taken. In response, the police send multiple carriages of officers. Fighters from both sides die in the confrontation. The Dutch send a legendary group of Indies fighters called the Marechassee. They defeat the Madurese, arrest Darsam, and surround the house.

Dr. Martinet is prohibited from entering the house by soldiers, leaving Minke and Nyai unable to properly care for Annelies, who seems incapable of absorbing and coping with what will happen to her. The situation is compounded when Minke and Nyai learn they will not be allowed to travel with Annelies. Annelies withdraws further, refusing to converse or eat.

The penultimate morning, Minke wakes to find Annelies caressing him. She speaks only to say she wants to feed him, then grows silent again.

On the last day, the soldiers prevent anyone from entering or leaving the house. Annelies asks Minke to tell her about Holland. A strange woman enters the house and tells Annelies what to expect on the voyage; it is hinted at that Annelies may be pregnant. Annelies asks to use the same suitcase her mother used when she was forced to leave her home as a young teenager: “Like Mama before, Mama, I too will never return home” (357). She also implores Nyai to have another daughter in her stead.

Unable to accompany Annelies to the carriage, Minke and Nyai helplessly watch from the house as she is escorted, lifted into the carriage, and driven away.

The novel’s translator, Max Lane, describes the conditions faced by Toer in the Buru Island penal colony where the possession of any written material could result in death. Lane describes Toer’s career as a writer, editor, and activist. His imprisonment for 14 years never resulted in a trial, as it was the unlawful result of him being a progressive advocate and truthful historian. Though the first two volumes of the Buru Quartet quickly became bestsellers after their publication in 1980, the Indonesian government ultimately banned Toer’s books in 1981.