Unleashing the Animal Within

In the landscape of contemporary Indonesian literature and literary circles, Eka Kurniawan is a prominent name. Raised by his maternal grandparents in a remote village where they mostly worked in paddy fields, Kurniawan grew up with barely any exposure to literature. Nevertheless, his imagination was sparked by an old woman, a close relative of his grandmother, who used to tell him and other children strange but magical stories. Enchanted by these tales, the young Kurniawan became interested not only in the stories themselves but also in the way they were told. His interest in literature deepened when he moved with his parents to Pangandaran, a small town on the coast of Java. A small library lent him novels—primarily horror and martial arts stories—which he read voraciously. It was at this point that he began trying to write.

He worked hard toward this dream, and it all paid off in 2002 when his debut novel, Cantik itu Luka, was published. It was warmly received locally. In 2015, the novel was translated into English as Beauty Is a Wound. It became an immediate sensation, catapulting him to global acclaim and establishing him as the foremost contemporary Indonesian writer. Blending magical realism with historical narrative, Kurniawan has proven himself to be a top-tier chronicler of Indonesia’s complex culture, society, and history. His debut novel even drew comparisons to Colombian Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Márquez for its vivid magical realism—interestingly, Kurniawan had read Márquez’s works while studying at university. This positioned him as a significant global voice in contemporary literature.

Building on the success of his debut, Kurniawan published his sophomore novel, Lelaki Harimau, in 2004. It was eventually translated into English in 2015 as Man Tiger, a literal translation of its Indonesian title. Set in a small, unnamed town on the Indonesian coast, the novel begins in medias res, immediately plunging readers into chaos. Without any preamble, we are taken to a crime scene. Anwar Sadat, one of the most respected men in the village, is found dead. However, this is no mystery novel—the identity of the murderer is revealed upfront. Found at the scene is Margio, a skilled hunter known locally for his calm demeanor. His politeness, it seems, belies a different side.

They would never forget that evening, because it was the first time they touched.  In the dark, sat on a plank bench, they held hands.  Not squeezing, just holding, and that was enough to make them sizzle as if a fire had been lit in their bellies.  That night they went home and both dreamt of being bitten by a snake.

Eka Kurniawan, Man Tiger

When confronted about the crime, Margio calmly states, “It wasn’t me. There is a tiger inside my body.” His strange admission unsettles everyone. In small towns, news travels fast—and news of murder, even faster—especially when both the victim and the perpetrator are well-known members of the community. Anwar Sadat, notably, is the father of Maharani, Margio’s girlfriend, adding further nuance and complications. The townspeople speculate that the murder stemmed from a dispute between Margio and Anwar over Maharani. Nevertheless, the novel’s opening scene vividly describes the crime: a particularly gruesome act committed not with weapons, but with Margio’s teeth.

The question at the back of everyone’s mind is: Why? How could someone as soft-spoken and well-mannered as Margio commit such a horrifying act? The shock of the opening draws us in, but the answers lie in the past. With Kurniawan serving as a spiritual guide, the story of two interlinked and tormented families over two generations emerges. We are first introduced to Margio as a young boy. Despite his age, he had a boundless imagination, fueled by the stories told by his grandfather. However, one story left a deep impression on the young Margio. It is about the story of a female white tiger.

The white tigress spirit is part of Indonesia’s rich rural superstition. This mythical being is said to inhabit nearly all male descendants of Margio’s patrilineal line, passed down from one generation to another. Margio inherits the spirit from his grandfather, with the power mysteriously bypassing his abusive father. The story then shifts further back, detailing the troubled relationship of Margio’s parents, Komar bin Syueb and Nuraeni. Their union—blessed with a son and two daughters, Mameh and Marian—is marked by chronic abuse and neglect. Nuraeni eventually seeks fulfillment elsewhere as the family sinks further into destitution.

Witnessing his father’s abuse drives a wedge between Margio and his father. Margio grows up hating him and even talks of killing him—shocking sentiments, especially as the rest of the village views Margio as a decent young man. This also resulted in Margio’s alienation of his entire family. Interestingly, Margio’s father dies shortly before he commits murder. In contrast, Anwar Sadat’s family is more affluent. Before his marriage, Anwar had a promising career as an artist. However, his marriage to a wealthy woman stalls his career. Though they have three daughters whom he adored, Anwar soon loses interest in his wife and becomes a known philanderer, completely at odds with Margio’s reputation as a disciplined hunter.

There was a wall separating them, even though it was a transparent wall glass wall that should have let them look at and confide in one another, yet it was impermeable. On the night he found himself walking with her under the pattering membrane of the umbrella, their shoulders touching, he had considered their closeness an unpardonable indecency.

Eka Kurniawan, Man Tiger

Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago and the fourth most populous country. It is also home to the world’s largest Muslim population and a vast cultural ecosystem teeming with folktales. Among these is the legend of the Inyik or Man Tiger, a figure prominent in Sumatran lore, particularly in West Sumatra. The Inyik are magical beings who transform into tigers, often as protectors. These powers can be inherited or learned. In other regions, tales of male tiger spirits protecting villages are also common. Typically, these beings dwell in jungles, not among villagers. However, such myths still resonate in contemporary rural Indonesia.

It is these ancient legends that formed the mantle of Kurniawan’s sophomore novel. Kurniawan, however, deviates from tradition in key ways. Instead of a male tiger, the novel features a female tiger spirit residing in Margio. Furthermore, Margio rarely controls the tigress; rather, he is subservient to her desires and instincts. When Margio finally murders Anwar Sadat, it is as if the tigress has fully taken over. In this sense, Margio becomes a vessel of female justice. The men in his family line are used—perhaps even destined—to avenge the sexual and domestic abuse suffered by women. This is emphasized by the fact that the tigress skips over his abusive father.

Although supernatural elements pervade the story, Man Tiger is grounded in harsh reality, particularly in its portrayal of life in rural Indonesia. Kurniawan vividly captures the minutiae of life in the village, immersing the readers in the social realities of rural Indonesia. The novel opens with a detailed description of the village and its people. From the start, poverty is palpable. As the story unfolded, the plight of the common man was captured by the story. They had to deal with poor living conditions, land ownership disputes, and the measly income they earned. The impact of historical repression was also vividly depicted in the novel. Their hardships were further exacerbated by the exploitation of the capitalists.

Serving as the quintessence of poverty was Margio’s family. They harbor dreams of a better life in the city, a common aspiration among the rural poor. But these dreams are shattered by high unemployment and a lack of opportunity. They are often left with no other recourse but to find contentment in low-income, unskilled jobs. Without property, they are forced to live on disputed lands, building temporary shelters. These areas eventually become slums, which in turn breed lawlessness and violence. Morality is dismantled. These social divisions were subtly underscored by the novel.

He liked her for trying to close the distance between them. The boy couldn’t remember the first night that marvelous face came to occupy his imagination. He felt more and more miserable at the chasm between them. For him, the love that had suddenly emerged was a brilliant illusion too confusing to be real.

Eka Kurniawan, Man Tiger

By chronicling the lives of two interconnected families, the novel also examines dysfunctional family dynamics. Under the crushing weight of poverty, traditional values disintegrate, leading to infidelity, abuse, and betrayal. The impact of past traumas also bleeds into the present. Viewed differently, the tigress may symbolize Margio’s longing for a maternal figure, a need denied him because his mother was broken by years of violence. Man Tiger, at its heart, is a novel about Indonesia. Kurniawan explores cultural norms, the influence of religion, arranged marriages, and gender expectations. Kurniawan captured how these forces shape individuals and limit their choices.

Beyond family and gender roles, Man Tiger explores the human condition and, more broadly, the human connection. Apart from the main characters, Kurniawan also delves into the villagers’ secret desires and hidden impulses, revealing what drives them to violence, providing a collective portrait. The novel questions societal norms that perpetuate sexism and inequality. The novel’s most compelling character, Margio remains the novel’s emotional and narrative anchor. His internal conflicts and search for identity propel the story forward. The boundary between good and evil is blurred. The tigress becomes a potent metaphor for the volatile human psyche and our latent capacity for destruction.

Starting where it ends, Man Tiger masquerades as a murder mystery before evolving into a whydunnit that probes into the circumstances and factors that eventually resulted in the act of violence. It is an examination of the complexities of human actions and suffering. Man Tiger paints a vivid portrait of a village caught in the quagmires of poverty. The village, then, is a microcosm for Indonesia. Details of Indonesian culture and folklore added depth to the story. Through Margio and the tigress spirit residing within him, the novel challenges us to confront our inner tigers and examine the consequences of our actions. Man Tiger is a powerful convergence of mystery, allegory, and the supernatural, woven seamlessly into a rich tapestry by Kurniawan’s lyrical and evocative prose.

The girl could tell he was uneasy, and put it down to nerves and inexperience. When she touched him teasingly, trying to free him form self-consciousness, he only looked at her with anguished eyes, pained with the knowledge that losing her was inevitable, and wondering if he could bring himself to break things off.

Eka Kurniawan, Man Tiger
Book Specs

Author: Eka Kurniawan
Translator (from Indonesian): Labodalih Sembiring
Publisher:  Verso
Publishing Date: 2015 (2004)
Number of Pages: 172
Genre: Magical Realism, Literary

Synopsis

A wry, affecting tale set in a small town on the Indonesian coast, Man Tiger tells the story of two interlinked and tormented families and of Margio, a young man ordinary in all particulars except that he conceals within himself a supernatural female white tiger. the inequities and betrayals of family life coalesce around and torment this magical being. An explosive act of violence follows, and its mysterious cause is unraveled as events progress toward a heartbreaking revelation.

Lyrical and bawdy, experimental and political, this extraordinary novel announces the arrival of a powerful new voice on the global literary stage.

About the Author

To learn more about the highly esteemed Indonesian writer Eka Kurniawan, click here.