A Critical Analysis on

“How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”

By: Manuel Estabillo Arguilla

PLOT
The inciting action was when “She stepped down to the carretela of calcelin with quick,
delicate grace look lovely, she was tall. She looked up to my brother with a smile, and her
forehead was on level with his mouth”. The rising action was when they took the dry bed
of Waig as a substitute of passing the camino real and it was the wish of there father to
go by Waig. The climax of the story was when Maria told Leon that she was afraid of his
father in law maybe his father thinking of not liking her. The falling action came when
Leon was searching for their father and her mother told them for their father and her
mother told them that his leg is bothering him again. The conclusion 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 watered Labang
which his father told him.

When leon brought home a wife maria is worried of the possibilities leon’s family wont
accept her. Conflict occur because the culture of living in the province is different from
the city leon’s dad gives challenges to maria to fit his father’s standards. The turning point
of the story when the community accepted maria.

SETTINGS
The setting of the story was in Nagrebcan, Leon’s hometown. This story takes place in a
farm where people would usually ride in carabao. The place was in the local province. In the
story, Maria who was Leon’s wife described physically and with her posture a a conservative
and traditionalist which would probably described as Filipino woman. As an alternative, they
took a shortcut in a field. In my opinion, one can visualize that there is some kind of a test for
the two of them. Maria must surpass that trial. It was as there family of Leon is trying to test
Maria’s characteristics, her attitude, her looks, how she talks and the way she handle the
situationThe setting of the story is not an antagonist because in the first place leon is from
Nebrebcan and he only whant’s her bride to come with him in his hometown. The setting
contribute to the story it gives maria a chance to know better the life style beliefs and culture
of leon. It has a bigger impact to maria in the sense that maria is a city girl she came to a
province where everything is so manual, probably she experience culture shock, where as
leon is not affected because leon is used to the environment. It has a bigger impact in the side
of maria as we knew maria is from the city, it is very hard to adjust your life style in the
province. The setting impact is, it makes the story interesting knowing maria is from the city
she needs to sacrifice his happiness the story evolve on maria when she came to the province
to meet leon’s family. The mood throughout the story is focus on maria how she will adjust
her life style in the province most of the routine and activities in the city is not accepted in
the province.

CHARACTERS
 The author or narrator used indirect method were the characters described by
actions, by words, by thought, and by physical appearance.
 Baldo- He was one of the main characters in the short story. He was Leon’s
younger brother. Baldo was unperturbed man, and he was quiet. He was the
narrator of the story.
 Leon/Noel- He was the oldest brother of Baldo. He was the husband of Maria .

 Maria-( Protagonist) She was a beautiful and lovely. Her forehead was on a
level with his mouth, her nails were long, but they were not painted, and have
a small dimple appeared momentarily high up on her right check. She was tall
and very still. Her fragrance was like a morning when papayas are in bloom.

 Labang: The bull of Leon and Baldo. Leon’s pet.

 Father: He was mildest- tempered, gentlest man. He was the father of Baldo
and Leon.

 Mother: He was the mother of Baldo and Leon.

 Aurelio: She was the sister of Baldo and Leon.

THEMES
WE SHOULD NOT BE SLAVES OF CULTURE AND TRADITION. The theme of the story is Love
makes Maria and Leon go straight whatever struggles come will be ignore to them. I don’t
know if there relationship will last long because Maria is a city girl while Leon is a barrio boy.
The writer’s purpose is for us to know the big difference from the lifestyle. Culture and beliefs
between living in the city and the province. The theme is implicit it’s about maria how will she
adjust and sacrifice her happiness for his husband. The theme offer a new insight in the
human experience because it is like a new journey and environment for maria

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

enough,show determination, be patient on whatever difficult event or situation you must
have to sacrifice just to be happy. Try and try for you to succeed.

POINT OF VIEW
“ How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”’ is a short story written by the highly
acclaimed Filipino writer Manuel Aguilla. This award-winning story is a long-standing favorite
in Philippine literature. To examine this piece, the author’s background must first be
considered. Formalistic, historical, and sociological approaches can also be utilized to analyse
the story further. Prominent symbols and their interpretations will also be discussed. First
person point of view because the author himself tells the story.

Because the narrator is probably the author. the point of view is because there are relatives
baldo is the narrator he experience it the author itself is involve in the story he is one of the
characters. To reveal the characteristics and the real color of maria. The author choose the
particular point of view because he whant’s to share his experience

6. IMAGERY
It is usually represents a symbolism. It is how the story was describe. There are several ways
how to form the imagery of the story. Symbolism is under Imagery. For example … We all
know that “Rose” is symbol of appreciation or confession… but if the author defined it
differently we can say that “Rose” can also be used as a trademark for a murder.
7. SYMBOLISM
Rocky road in which the rock symbolizes struggles, difficulty, full of obstacles or problems
on an adventure towards reaching once destination.

Camino real-easy life

Sky sown with star- sense of camaraderie

Following way of Waig-hard life in rural area

Star- hope/guidance

8. STYLE AND TONE

Mistrust between city folk and country folk.

9. FIGURATIVE LANGUANGE
He used Simile like “ He must have taught her the song because she joined him, and her
voice flowed into his like a gentle streams meeting a stronger one.”

10. OTHER QUESTIONS

I like this story because of its content, the way the author gives description to something or
someone, like the way she describes Maria in the first part of the story. Another thing that I
like about in this story is the values that we should have. We can also be able to relate it to
our daily lives, especially when we have to meet our special someone to our family.

SUMMARY
Baldo and his older brother Leon were both waiting for their visitors riding a carratela.
When Baldo saw his brother’s wife, who is Maria, he was amazed but her beauty as he
narrates their journey to their home in Nagrebcan. Maria was felt bit anxious because of
meeting Leon and Baldo’s parents for the first time, but along 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.
Submitted By:

Herminic Prince S. Francisco

Submitted to: