La joven de la costa (The Girl from the Coast) Book

A heartbreaking story based on the author's own grandmother's early life.

At the turn of the 20th century, the protagonist, a 14 year old girl from a fishing village in the northern coast of Java, is taken to the house of a high official (he is referred to as "Bendoro"). Her parents agree to a marriage arrangement, thinking that it will improve the life quality of their daughter and also probably because they are afraid of Bendoro. This is just a "practice marriage" for Bendoro. Actually he can only officially marry a woman who is from the same social class.

The protagonist doesn't understand this and she doesn't understand the concept of "class". For her, the free and playful life she lived in the fishing village is more meaningful than the isolated life she leads in the city. She is taken care of by a old female servant who grows to love the girl and explains to her "the situation" as best as she can. The novel is interspersed with some tragic and some funny moments until it reaches an abrupt ending.

Pramoedya Ananta Toer is often hailed as the greatest Indonesian writer. With this novel he criticized the feudal and inhumane practices of the Javanese upper class. I found the story very insightful especially into the mindset of the "wong cilik" ("the little people" in Javanese). All of the servants in Bendoro's house accepted that their fate was to be part of the lower class. I also enjoyed the conversations between the girl and the old female servant.

"Perempuan nak, kalau sudah kawin jeleknya laki jeleknya kita, baiknya laki baiknya kita."

"Mengapa orang pada suka emas?"
"Karena, ya, karena. Yah, apa mesti sahaya katakan? Karena dengan emas . . . karena . .. ya, supaya dia tidak kelihatan seperti sahaya, supaya tidak sama dengan orang kebanyakan....Ya, orang kebanyakan seperti sahaya inilah, bekerja berat, tapi makan pun hampir tidak."

"Kau mengabdi pada tanah ini, tanah yang memberimu nasi dan air. Tapi para raja dan para pangeran dan para bupati sudah jual tanah keramat ini pada Belanda. Kau hanya baru sampai melawan para raja, para pangeran dan para bupati. Satu turunan tidak bakal selesai, man. Kalau para raja, pangeran dan bupati sudah dikalahkan, baru kau bisa berhadapan pada Belanda. Entah berapa turunan lagi. Tapi kerja itu mesti dimulai."

"Sekarang Mas Nganten belum mengerti, tapi pengalaman bakal membuat Mas Nganten memahaminya baik-baik."

"Nasib kitalah memang, nak. Nasib kita. Seganas-ganas laut, dia lebih pemurah dari hati priyayi."