Chapter 5 Summary

Minke tells the story of how Nyai became a nyai, as he learned it from Annelies. Nyai tells Annelies that she received her education from Herman Mellema in their earlier days, when they were happy, before he changed. She also indicates that she did not have Herman admitted to a mental institution after his change because doing so would risk having the court take away her control over her family and business.

The story then shifts to Nyai telling her own story to Annelies. She reveals her actual name is Sanikem. When she was a child, her father was very ambitious and was always trying to improve his situation, going to extreme lengths. He wanted to be promoted from a factory clerk to a paymaster, so that he could have more respect and also take better care of his family and extended family...