Jejak Langkah-Pramudya Ananta Toer

 Jejak Langkah, merupakan judul ketiga dari tetralogi pulau buru. Buku ini menceritakan perjalanan Minke dalam menyelesaikan sekolahnya di sekolah kedokteran STOVIA di Batavia. Pada masa inilah, rasa kebangsaan Minke muncul. Dia banyak berinteraksi dengan tokoh-tokoh nasional saat itu, misalnya dr Wahidin, dr Sutomo & RA Kartini. Minke juga berkenalan dan akhirnya menikah dengan Ang San Mei, wanita tionghoa yang merupakan aktivis pergerakan revolusi China yang melarikan diri ke Hindia Belanda. Namun pernikahan ini tidak berumur lama karena Ang San Mei akhirnya meninggal. Karena merawat Mei ini, Minke dikeluarkan dari STOVIA dan harus membayar biaya sekolah selama ini. Dengan bantuan dari Nyai Ontosoroh, Minke dapat menyelesaikan masalah dan mulai menjajagi untuk mendirikan organisasi. Walaupun belum sesuai harapan, organisasi itu bisa berdiri.
Buku ini menceritakan detil tentang sepak terjang Minke dalam berorganisasi maupun menjadi penulis bahkan sampai memiliki surat kabar sendiri. Juga pernikahan selanjutnya dengan Princess dari kerajaan di Maluku yang juga berpendidikan tinggi sehingga bisa bahu membahu dengan Minke dalam mengurusi surat kabarnya. Karena suatu kesalahan dalam menulis yang dilakukan oleh anak buahnya, Minke akhirnya ditangkap polisi dan diasingkan ke luar Jawa. Membaca buku ketiga ini benar-benar membangkitkan perasaan nasionalisme yaitu rasa cinta tanah air yang tumbuh dari pemahaman yang mendalam dari penjelasan Pramudya yang detil dalam buku ini. Sekali lagi, cara bertutur Pramudya yang sungguh sangat luar biasa, lebih mudah di mengerti daripada buku-buku sejarah di  sekolah.

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"Anak Semua Bangsa" (Child of All Nations)

"Anak Semua Bangsa" (Child of All Nations) is the title of the second book of the Buru tetralogy thats works by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. In this book, Pramoedya Ananta Toer told about a turning point in the life of Minke. As a continuation of "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), this book starting with stories about the ailing Annelis that trip to Holland. Powerless against her deep grief, and suffering caused by illness, Annelis eventually died. This news of Annelis death received by Minke and Nyai Ontosoroh. Minke in the midst of grief trying to be strong and continue writing.

Minke then acquainted with Kommer, an anti-colonialism journalist who is his friend Jean Marais, satirical Minke who always write in Dutch and English. In fact, Minke's mother desire for Minke tried to write in the Java language, while Minke's else friends wants him to write in Malay. But Minke refused on the grounds that Malay language newspaper only reading by people with low education. According to that, Minke thought that his writings will be more meaningful if it is written in Dutch.

Minke then accompanied Nyai Ontosoroh vacationing in Sidoarjo sugar cane plantations. Here, Minke are faced with two choices, between admiration for the civilization of Europe and opened his eyes to the reality of his own nation. Minke then met with Khouw Ah Soe, an activist movement. Introduction with this youth Chinese, as well as Nyai Ontosoroh advices, began make Minke open his mind about the resurrection of a nation. Minke consciousness and awakened, that he was the son of his people (Malays) and must do something for the human beings around him, his own people.

Minke start making posts with a new perspective, and hope this paper will be able to affect the consciousness of the reader. But apparently the publishers rejected the writings. Minke then continue her schooling to Stovia. On the way to Batavia, Minke met a Dutch author, from whom then Minke increasingly aware that what kind of mafia related to sugar, and realized why his writing was rejected. In his mind and heart, now growing awareness, that what she learned at school, totally different from what is met in reality.

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"Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind)

Buru tetralogy, written by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, consists of four books that tell the life of a character named Minke. Many reader believe that Minke is the name that Pramoedya Ananta Toer created to replace the name of Raden Mas Adhi Tirto Soerjo, a figur that served for the Indonesian national resurgence, but not recorded in history.

The first book of the Buru tetralogy is "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind). In "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), Pramoedya Ananta Toer told about a teenager named Minke who was studying in Surabaya HBS. Viewed from this fact, then Minke actually are natives of the lucky ones, cause not anyone can just attend HBS. HBS average student is the son of Dutch officials or Peranakan (Indo). But because her father had a position in colonial goverment, Minke can HBS school.


Minke falls in love with a girl named Annelis, a dutch descent, beautiful like an angel. Their romance began to cause problems for the life of Minke. Annelis who are descendants of Nyai Ontosoroh and a dutch husband named Robert Mellema. But eventually Minke and Annelis could marry a Muslim. This marriage is not recognized by Government of the Netherlands. And since the struggle of Nyai with the legacy son of Robert Mellema, Annelis forced to part with Minke to be brought to the Netherlands.

Nyai Ontosoroh, Annelis mother, described by Pramoedya Ananta Toer as an indigenous and smart women. Being a mistress of Robert Mellema, she can learn and read books of her husband. Thus, Nyai Ontosoroh become modern-minded and independent women. Minke know Nyai Ontosoroh, through Annelis. Know the Nyai affect the lives and the way of thinking of Minke further. Minke grown as a man with much personally-minded and forward.

Thus a glimpse of the "Bumi Manusia" (The Earth of Mankind), the first book of the Buru tetralogy, works of Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Through a compelling language, Pramoedya describes the atmosphere of Indonesia in the early of 19th century, when this nation (Indonesia) began to recognize themselves, and build awareness about the equal rights of all humans.

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