User:Klltr/The Persimmon Tree

The Persimmon Tree is an epic novel written by African-born Australian author Bryce Courtenay. It is the first of two books in the Nick Duncan saga.

Plot

The novel is split into three parts.

Part One

Nick Duncan tells his part of the story from a first person view. Nick is currently living in Java as the Dutch are prepairing to evacuate the country in order to escape the Japaneese invasion. Nick is introduced to Anna Van Heeden through her alcoholic father. Her stepmother is verbally abusive towards her at dinner one night, and a drinking session leaves Nick wanting to leave. Later, he and Anna go hunting butterflies and he presents Anna with a clipper butterfly as a keepsake, with Anna making Nick a napkin with a butterfly embroided onto it.

Several days after the Japaneese invade Singapore, the Dutch go into a frenzy and attempt to flee. Anna has to leave with her family on an overcrowed ship. Before they leave, Nick recieves the family sailing boat to take to Australia with him. One night, Nick is awoken by gunfire. The next day, several black men wash up in a lifeboat, one of them is badly injured. All but one are murdered and robbed by natives, and Nick is left to care for the survivor, Kevin Judge, who appears to have several personalities. Nick discovers that are actually white men covered in oil from trying to escape a sinking boat. .They spend a month at sea, eating nothing but rice and fish, as Kevin recovers and tells his story of how he wound up in an orphanage and was forced to join the navy or go to jail. They eventualy arrive in Fremantle, where Nick is questioned by a customs officier and Kevin is escorted away by some American men. Nick is then sworn to secrecy, and is invited to spend the night with Naval Ittellegence officer Marg Hamilton, who makes love to him.

The next day, Nick returns to the boarding house he is staying at where the owner threatns to call the police, accusing him of being a spy because he hung a shirt in a window to dry. Nick says he will be gone by breakfast, to which the owner replies that breakfast is included. Nick ends this part of the story by saying that sometimes you must laugh or you will end up crying.

Part Two

Nick then tells Anna's story. The boat she is on is overcrowded and her father has become comatose from his drinking. While sailing, the engine breaks down and the boat is forced to return to shore. They land in the small township of Tjilatjap. Shortly after arriving, Anna's stepmother commits suicide by driving her wheelchair into the river. Because of this, Anna meets three locals who decide to help her: Til the taxi driver, Ratih the kampong cook and her son Budi.

Anna later discovers that her father has written her out of his will and was hiding diamonds.

After securing a house from local cook Ratih, Anna locks her father in the cellar to detox him. During the detox, the Japanesse arrive. Anna, because she is half Javaneese, is able to venture outside as long as she wears sunglasses. After watching the Kempeitai conduct a flag burning in the town square, Anna discovers her father had once raped a local woman, who died giving birth to Anna. As a result, he was kidnapped and had his testicles cut off by the local tribe.

One day, an execution takes place in the square. Anna is there to see it, but faints and has her sunglasses broken. An army colonel sees her eyes as a result. Ratih later reveals to Anna that the man who saw her eyes, Konoe Akira, is looking for her. In order to protect her friends, Anna turns herself over to him. Anna learns she is to personally attend to Colonel Akira at his command. She must learn how to perform "wrapping with ropes" in order to please Akira. As time goes by, Anna and Akira begin to care for each other.

Suddenly, Akira is called to Tokyo and Anna is arrested the next day. She is shocked to discover that Til has been beheaded by the Kempeitai, and fights back. As she is wounded, she cannot be taken to meet a very important person and is cared for by an okami at the local brothel where the Japanese are keeping comfort women; Dutch women who are forced to sexually service the soldiers. During this time, Anna is tricked into using heroin. When she is healed, she is taken to see Colonel Takahashi, who plans to take her virginity. Anna kills him and escapes, not aware that the Japanese have already surrended. Takahashi's death is recorded as suicide by Japanese investigators as the Allies begin to arrive in Java.