Method of the Study

34 becomes the concubine, a “wife” who is not married officially. In the colonialism era, a n yai’s level is higher than a slave. They are wearing the the songket which is embroidered in the gold and silver spun as well as wearing the ear stud from diamonds Depdikbud, 1989. Referring Mr. Mellema as her Tuan Besar Kuasa, Nyai Ontosoroh knows her position very well. She knows that she has no control over her life anymore. It because her master will decide everything for her and decide the life she is going to have. Nyai Ontosoroh has also to obey what her master says no matter what. It is often worst because a nyai has no right also as human beings. Nyai Ontosoroh herself has ever commented her life as a nyai in This Earth of Mankind novel. “Life as a nyai is very, very difficult. A nyai is just a bought slave, whose only duty is to satisfy her master. In everything p.87 She admits that being a nyai is difficult. It is because a nyai is almost the same as the slave. Once her master has done with her or bored, she may be kicked out with her children who are going to be unrecognised by the laws because a nyai will never be married legally. It is supported by Nyai Ontosoroh ’s comment in the part of the novel; “Then, on the other hand, she has to be ready at any moment for the possibility that her master, her tuan, will become bored with her. And she may be kicked out with all her children, her own children, unrecognized by Native society because they were born outside wedlock.” p.87 The second theory used in this study is the theory of characterisation from Murphy 1972 in which he clarifies how an author presents his characters in the 35 story through nine important things, which are; personal description, character as seen by others, speech, conversation of others, past life, reactions, direct comment, thought and mannerism. Those aspects will help the researcher to analyse the appearance and the personality of Nyai Ontosoroh in the novel. In simpler terms, by applying those two theories in this study, the researcher will be able to find out the answer of the first problem formulation, that is how Nyai Ontosoroh as one of the main characters described in the story. Therefore, in order to give the clear and better understanding, the description of Nyai Ontosoroh will be divided into two parts, which are; the physical and appearance of Nyai Ontosoroh and the description of her personality written in the novel.

1. The Physical Descriptions of Nyai Ontosoroh

In describing the physical condition of Nyai Ontosoroh, the researcher described the character of Nyai Ontosoroh herself from the way she looks and her appearance. The researcher uses the application of theory of characterisation by Murphy 1972. Based on that theory, the researcher can analyse Nyai Ontosoroh’s physical appearance as what it is written below;

a. Well-dressed

Nyai Ontosoroh is described as an elegant neat person in the beginning of the novel. The way she looks can easily attract people’s admiration at her. She is a beautiful woman with a good taste of dressing. She is the example of an elegant 36 nyai. This kind of admiration about Nyai Ontosoroh ’s elegance looks can be seen from Minke’s impression when he sees Nyai Ontosoroh for the first time in the Boerderij Buitenzorg. “A Native woman entered, wearing a traditional Javanese wrap skirt and a white blouse embellished with expensive lace, perhaps the famous Dutch lace made in Naarden, which we have been told about in E.L.S. Her neat attire, her clear face, her motherly smile, and her simple adornments made a deep impression of me.” p. 29 par. 2 It can be interpreted from Minke’s opinion that Nyai Ontosoroh’s attire is neat with clear face, motherly smile that makes everyone close to her comfortable and also simple adornment that raises the good impression from the people who see her. It is also said that even her blouse is made in Naarden and is not only local fabric products which are normally used by most of the native women in her era. Even though, she comes from the middle lower class family but her entire appearance when she is a nyai shows a distinctive feature of a high class Javanese woman even though she is only a nyai. “…With signs he ordered me to brush my teeth…Again, with signs, he ordered me to bathe and to scrub myself with scented soap…He put the sandals on my feet...” p. 86, par 3-4 It can be interpreted also from the quotation that she also learns how to treat her body carefully after being brought home and being asked by Mr. Mellema. It can also be an addition to indicate that Nyai Ontosoroh is from the