LITERARY ANALYSIS

Prepared by:
CARL OWEN L. AYCARDO

Prepared for:
CATHERINE BALMES
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife
By Manuel Arguilla

Analysis and Discussions

I used the linguistic approach to further understand the story. With this
approach, we will be able to comprehend deeply by understanding the characters and
theme of the story.

The story “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” was set during the
1930s in Nagrebcan, Bauang La Union. The place is a province and we know that the
people who are living there would most likely be the farmers. The story is told in the
1st person point of view and this narrator is Baldo, the younger brother of Leon. His
older brother is Noel but named by Maria as Leon. As what Baldo realized: “But it was
only the name of my brother Leon said backward and it sounded much better that
way.” Another major character found in the story is Maria who is the wife of Leon. For
Baldo, her name is “sosyal” and it is obvious that she comes from a city.

The conflict shown in the story is centered between Maria and herself, as well as
the society by which Baldo and Leon lived in. We know that Maria is from a city while
her husband Leon is from a province. Maria is concerned if she’s going to be accepted
or not by Leon’s family despite of her social status. She was even tested if she is worthy
to be the wife of Leon. This was seen when Baldo ignored his older brother’s question
about why did they have to go to Waig instead of Camino Real.

I think Maria is a good character in the story. I like Maria not because she’s kind
and lovely, but because she is not the typical “matapobre” as seen in the story. She is
indeed a sympathetic woman. In fact, Maria was a bit anxious because of meeting Leon
and Baldo’s parents for the first time. Maria is worried that she will not be accepted by
Leon’s father because she may not able to adapt their way of living in the province.
However, on their way home, she discovered the differences of the life of the people
lived there and the life in the city where she met and fell in love with Leon. We can see
Maria’s response when Leon asked her: “You miss the houses, and the cars, and the
people and the noise, don’t you?” My brother Leon stopped singing. “Yes, but in a
different way. I am glad they are not here.” I appreciate her the most simply because
she accepted and respected Leon for what he really is. She didn’t care what Leon’s life
back in Nagrebcan. She was a supportive and a loving wife to Leon. She was so
endearing and kind-hearted lady. She was very keen to meet Leon’s family. It is
somewhat discouraging that the rural is different from the city but the closer they get to
the house, Maria still managed to overcome any trials. She admits for having some fear,
but she also shows clearly it did not stop her. I believe that social status is not a
hindrance if you truly love each other.

The first theme of this story is that no matter what it takes to be with the one you
love, you will do anything to be with that person. I know that having a long and strong
relationship with the person you love is seldom nowadays. People tend to love one
another at first but eventually end up being bitter. Well, that kind of relationship is not a
true love after all. If I’m going to apply this significant theme or message to the life of
Filipinos then it can be said that as Filipinos, we are very emotional when we think of
true love. We also care about true love. There are Filipinos who turn to sacrifice and
endure things just to be happy. If you are sacrificing it truly means that you value and
you truly love this person (Adofina et al., 2013). In the story, we can see that Maria will
sacrifice anything just to be happy with Leon, her only love. I can say that this love is
true and genuine. This kind of love then is truly authentic.

I. CONTENT

A. Moral/ Philosophical and Intellectual

 We should respect and accept one’s life.

 Social Status is not hindrance if you truly love each other.
 Meeting your special someone your family is the right thing to do.
  One may have to sacrifice a small part one’s life in order to have a happy
life.

II. THE STORY

A. CHARACTERS

These are the people portraying in the story. It can be based on their roles:
protagonist or antagonist. It can also be based on their function: dynamic or static
Baldo, Leon, Maria, Labang, Father, Mother, Aurelia, and Ca Celin.

Baldo
 Acts as deuteragonist because he has an important role in the story.
 The one who narrated the story, the younger brother of Leon and fetched
Leon and Maria from the road to Nagrebcan.
 He is obedient, innocent and naive boy.

Leon/Noel
 Acts as a protagonist in the story because the story revolves around him
 The older brother of Baldo who have met his wife in the city and brought Maria in
his hometown.
 He is responsible, gentle, and a loving husband.

Maria
 She grew up and was born in the city and she is the wife of Leon.
 She is beautiful, down to earth, supportive, creative and loving wife of Leon.

Labang
 The bull who brought Leon and Maria to their home and Baldo consider it as his
hardworking bull and a part of their family.

Father
 The father of Leon and Baldo who planned the challenges for Maria.
  The one who instructed Baldo on what he will do while he is on the road with
Leon and Maria.
 The mildest-tempered and gentle man.

Mother
 Mother of Leon and Baldo.
 She is a responsible mother.

Aurelia
 Sister of Leon and Baldo.
 She lives with their parents.

Ca Celin
 Carretela driver.

B. PLOT

Narrative Structure

1. Exposition

The inciting action of the story was when “she stepped down to the
Carretela of Ca Celin with a quick, delicate grace. She looks very lovely and
tall. She looked up to my brother with smile, and her forehead was leveled to
his mouth”

It goes when Leon introduced Maria as his wife to his younger brother,
Baldo who’s thinking deeply if father will like Maria. He’s thinking if Maria can
survive or will fit in the life in barrio or rural areas than urban city where she
grew up.
2. Rising Acton

The rising action of the story was when Baldo took the dry bed of the Waig
as substitute of passing in Camino Real and it was the wish of the father to go
by Waig. They were trying to test Maria’s characteristics, her attitude, her
looks, how she talks and the way she handles the situation.

3. Climax

The highest point of the story was when Leon already brought home Maria
as his wife and when Maria told Leon that she’s anxious about meeting his
father. Later he introduced Maria as his wife to his family and especially to his
father hoping they will accept and like Maria for him.

4. Falling Action

The falling action of the story was when Maria passed the test or
challenges despite of her personality being a city girl. She proved that she will
fight for what she believed is right, it doesn’t matter if the world told her that
it’s wrong. She surpassed the trials given to her proving that she is worth it for
Leon as his wife.

Denouement (Finale)

The denouement of the story was when Baldo cross the threshold of his
father and ask him about Maria. Afterwards the door opened and Leon and
Maria came in. Baldo looked to Maria so lovely and went out to water Labang
as instructed by his father. It reflects that loves makes Leon and Maria to go
 forward and forward whatever struggles may come will be ignore to them.
This portrays that accepting one’s life and sacrificing is necessary in order to
be happy.

3. Resolution

The entire story serves as a test for the wife. Each test was to show
weather a woman could indeed live with strangers all for love.
The main character learns that though there are sacrifices it is worth it in the
end.

A. Synopsis/Summary

Baldo and his older brother Leon were both waiting for the arrival of their
visitor riding the Carretela. Seeing his brother’s wife, Baldo was easily taken
away the beauty of the woman from city as he narrates their journey to
Nagrebcan. The idea of meeting with Leon’s parents for the first time made
Maria a bit anxious. But along their way home, Maria discovered the unusual
feature of the life in Nagrebcan as opposed to their life in the city where she
met and fell in love with Leon. They took a surprising route home for Leon,
but it was meant as a test for the wife to see is she could endure the
sacrifices she made and meet her new family.

B. Setting

The setting of the story was in Nagrebcan, La Union, and the hometown of
Leon. The story takes place in a farm where people would usually ride in a
carabao. The place was in the local province.
 C. THEME

Culture clash or the setting shift is when someone from the barrio or
the city is transported to the other. Another thing is the different life between
the province and city.

True love because love knows no reason, no boundaries and no

distance.

To endure journey sacrifices is necessary. In order to achieve success we

must be strong enough, show determination be patient. In whatever difficult
event or situation we may be in, we must be willing to sacrifice or step out of
our comfort zone so that we can learn from our new experiences and achieve
happiness.

Sometimes we need to surrender what we have in order to achieve

happiness.

IV. ANALYSIS

A. Conflict

Man vs Environment (man vs nature)

 Evidences

Leon brought a wife to his original home, Nagrebcan, La Union. His wife,
Maria is a woman who grew up in a city and is not used to living in rural
places. But then, Leon came to his hometown with a wife. Their
neighborhood who doesn’t know that Leon was married to a city girl. No one
 knows what a kind of girl is Mara except for Leon. Will Maria cope living in a
province for the rest of her life?

Man vs Society

 Evidences

Maria was afraid that Leon’s father may not accept her to be his daughter-
in-law because she may not able to cope the life in province.