Erika Beatrice D.C.

Garcia
ABM-C

Story Outline of Small key by Paz M. Latorena

I. Unfamiliar Words
Tremendous- very large or great
Beckoning- to appear attractive or inviting
Flanked- the side of something
Darning- to mend with interlacing stitches
Feverish- having a fever
Haste- speed of motion or action
Rickety- not strong or stable and likely to break
II. Theme or essence of the story
For me, the main theme of the story is about trusting each other in a relationship. That
trust is very important for the relationship to survive. Relationship is not all about
how many years youve been together, but when you will earn the trust or learn how
to trust each other. When both partner have no trust in each other, the relationship
will not work out and youll just both hurt each other.
III. Settings
The main settings of the story are:
Farm- The story took place mostly, where it began, Pedro and Soledad lives.
House- Located inside their farm, surrounded by bamboos.
Time:
Morning, indicated in the first part, The sun shone bright
Early Afternoon Sunshine
Evening- Pedro Buhay hurried back home on their house.
Night- Soledad was restless, couldnt sleep
Soft Morning Sunshine Pedro Buhay woke up
Morning Breeze
Noon
- Mostly, the time are day, afternoon and night, story happen approximately two
days.
IV. Characterization:
1. Pedro Buhay- husband of Soledad; prosperous farmer; also called Indo.
2. Soledad- Second wife of Pedro Buhay, also known as Choleng.
3. Tia Maria- auntie; the one who cooks food for Pedro Buhay and Soledad; took
care of Soledad while Pedro Buhay is not yet at home.
4. Doctor Santos- Doctor of Soledad
V. Plot
The story is all about a married couple, Soledad and Pedro Buhay. Soledad and Pedro
Buhay settled, surrounded by a wide land or farm to be exact. Although it appeared to
be a peaceful life, Soledad feels discontentment, not as satisfying as her husband did.
All day, she would only looked outside their window, expecting to see amazing or
different things, its as if she was seeking for some challenge or excitement in his life.
Erika Beatrice D.C. Garcia
ABM-C

On that day, she just planned to sew some of her husbands shirts because she wants
to do something, which was located in a locked trunk. Pedro took from his pocket a
red string with two keys held in it, one large key and one small key, He handed the
large key to Soledad and put the small key back in his pocket. Since it was hot that
morning, Pedro took off his jacket on which Soledad finds the small key in its pocket.
Soledad knows that the small key is a key to a different truck, she tries to ignore that
key but ended up opening the truck and founds out in the truck was the clothing of
Pedro Buhays first wife that has been already dead. Doubting the feeling Of Pedro
Buhays love to her and worries that it will destroy their relationship, she burned it
and turn it into ash. Pedro is angry when he found out what happened but still, he will
forgives his wife because he loves her.
VI. Point of View
In my opinion, Pedro Buhay still have feelings for his first wife because he
still values the clothing of her. But I cant blame him because its his first wife,
feelings dont fade easily, maybe he still love her first wife but he loves Soledad more
than her because its already been in the past and Soledad is now his future. I cant
also blame Soledad for being jealous of Pedros first wife because I think she is just
afraid that she cannot take over the position of his husbands first wife. But his wife
portrays the lack of trust to his husband which is the very important factor in
marriage. It is very important that both partner trust each other but in this story,
Soledad still doubt the feelings of his husband towards her.
I also think that the small key symbolizes the love Pedro have to his first
wife, that his feelings for her is very small and rusty, meaning that its all in the past.
The memories will remain and theres still part in Pedros heart towards his first wife
but the greater portion of it would be his love for Soledad, his future wife. It
symbolizes the big key, meaning he loves Soledad more than his first wife, which his
first wife is all in the past and will remain as memories in Pedros life.
It proves the love of Pedro to his wife now as the story ends, Pedro is
angry towards Soledad for burning the clothes of his first wife but he cant stay angry
towards her, that he will still forgive her because he really love her more than his first
wife.