Buru Quartet facts for kids
The Buru Quartet is a set of four important books by an Indonesian writer named Pramoedya Ananta Toer. These books are:
- This Earth of Mankind
- Child of All Nations
- Footsteps
- House of Glass
The books were published between 1980 and 1988. At first, the president of Indonesia, Suharto, did not allow people to read them. The next president, B.J. Habibie, also kept them banned. But in 2000, the Indonesian government finally allowed the books to be read legally.
What the Books Are About
These novels tell a big story about Indonesia's history. They focus on the time when people in Indonesia started to want independence from Dutch rule. This period is called the Indonesian National Awakening Movement, and it happened between 1898 and 1918.
Main Character: Minke
The main character in the books is a young man named Minke. He was born in 1900. Minke's father was a regent, which was a local leader under the Dutch government. Minke received his education from the Dutch, which was common for some Indonesians at that time.
Real-Life Inspiration
Minke's character is based on a real person. He was inspired by an early Indonesian journalist named Raden Tirto Adhi Soerjo. This journalist played a big part in the early days of Indonesia's fight for freedom.
