MY BROTHER’S PECULIAR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

CHICKEN
ALEJANDRO ROCES Alejandro Roces (Literature, 2003) is a
short story writer and essayist, and considered as
the country’s best writer of comic short stories. He
SUMMARY: is known for his widely anthologized "My Brother’s
The story was about the weird chicken
Peculiar Chicken." In his innumerable newspaper
which Kiko and his brother found. They couldn’t
columns, he has always focused on the neglected
tell whether it is a hen or a rooster. They keep on
aspects of the Filipino cultural heritage. His works
arguing to each other because Kiko insists that the
have been published in various international
chicken is a rooster for they saw it on the field
magazines and has received national and
fighting another chicken. But his brother is not
international awards.
convinced for the chicken has no comb or wattles,
both disagree to one another.
Ever the champion of Filipino cultures,
Roces brought to public attention the aesthetics of
They began to ask their mother and father,
the country’s fiestas. He was instrumental in
even the people on their village like Tasio and Mr
popularizing several local fiestas, notably, Moriones
Cruz. But all of them couldn’t tell whether it’s a hen
and Ati-atihan. He personally led the campaign to
or a rooster. And they also thought that it was a
change the country’s Independence Day from July 4
“binabae.”
to June 12, and caused the change of language from
English to Filipino in the country’s stamps,
So instead, they decided to bring it into the
currency and passports, and recovered Jose Rizal’s
cockpit and make it fight to a rooster. But during
manuscripts when they were stolen from the
the fight there is a turn of events, things gone
National Archives.
different for what they have expected. A lovesick
expression came into the rooster’s eyes, instead of
His unflinching love of country led him to
fighting the rooster began to do some love dance
become a guerilla during the Second World War, to
but the peculiar chicken suddenly stub its spur into
defy martial law and to found the major opposition
the rooster and the fight is over. The brother’s
party under the dictatorship. His works have been
couldn’t believe what they had saw.
published in various international magazines and
received numerous national and international
Kiko thinks he convinced his brother at the
awards, including several decorations from various
chicken is a rooster, but the chicken act something
governments.
strange. It began to quiver, and egg came out and
drop into his brother hand.

CHARACTERS:
The Kid,
Kiko,
Mr. Eduardo Cruz,
Father,
Mother, and
Tenienting Tasio

THEME:
The theme of the short story, My Brother's
Peculiar Chicken, by Alejandro Roces is that people
have differing opinions on a subject. One person
sees something one way and another person sees the
exact opposite when looking at the same situation.