It was common for local women to become the concubines of Dutch men living in the East Indies. Their children were either illegitimate "natives" and lost legal rights. Or if their father accepted them as his children they were called "Indos". Then the mother lost all rights over their children. Nyai Ontosoro suffers because of her low status and lack of rights. But, she believes education is the way to show her basic humanity. She believes that learning is the way to oppose racism, stupidity, and poverty. However, deciding to make her children Herman Mellema's children causes terrible problems for them.