“MIDSUMMER”

Manuel Arguilla

Manuel Arguilla (Nagrebcan, June 17, 1911 –  August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano
writer in English, patriot, and martyr.

SUMMARY

It is noontime and a very hot day in summer. Manong was dragging his cart towards
the well when he saw a young woman who happened to be Ading. Ading at that very
moment was fetching a bucket of water from the well. Manong observed the details of the
very sweet and fresh young lady which is undeniably attractive. At first, Ading didn’t notice
Manong while Manong, on the other hand, was hesitating to talk or even approach her.
Ading left without leaving a word to Manong, but a moment later, she returned to where
Manong was. And on the second time around, while Manong was eating, Ading approached
him and stared at him. They had a little conversation, and suddenly, with a bit of Ading’s
clumsiness, the bucket of water spilled in his food unintentionally. After that incident,
Manong helped Ading in filling the jar again. Ading examined how masculine are the
features of Manong which made her attracted to him even more. The sun is almost
everywhere, it is then that she invited Manong to her home which made Manong more
interested to her. Midsummer closes with Manong, following Ading in the direction of her
house where there is a shade of relief from the heat of the day.

CHARACTERS

 Manong – strong, masculine (He lowered the bucket…fell in a cluster over his forehead)

traditional binata “torpe” (1. He turned to watch the graceful figure

beneaththe jar until it vanished. 2. He watched her with lowered head as she
approached and felt a difficulty in continuing to eat.)

 Ading – young, sweet, and fresh (She was young, surprisingly sweet and fresh amidst her
parched surroundings)

traditional dalaga---hospitable (… the girl spoke: ‘Manong, why don’t you come
to our home and bring your animal with you? There is a shade yu can sleep,
though our house is very poor.’)

Other characters mentioned: bull, Ading’s Mother and Father, Manong’s Mother and Father

The descriptions of the characters were detailed --- shows the physical attraction between
the two.

Filipino culture and tradition was showed (e.g. way of eating, greeting, hospitality,
acceptance)
SETTING

 Happened during the course of summer.

 Place: Ilocos Norte, possibly in La Paz

Textual Evidence: “On the right, stretched a sandy waste of low rolling dunes.”

PLOT

 Exposition
Introduction of setting and the characters
(“He pulled down his hat until the wide brim touched his shoulders. He crouched
lower under the cover of his cart and peered ahead. The road seemed to writhe
under the lash of the noon-day heat; it swum from side to side, humped and bent
itself like a feeling serpent, and disappeared behind the spur of a low hill on which
grew a scrawny thicket of bamboo.”
“The man in the cart did not notice the woman until she had rounded the spur of
land and stood unmoving beside the road, watching the cart and its occupant
comes toward her.”)
 Rising Action

Manong sees Ading and followed her. However, she ignores him at first.

(“She stood straight and still beside the road and regarded him with frank
curiosity. Suddenly she turned and disappeared into the dry gorge. Coming to
where she had stood a few moments before, he pulled up the bull and got out of the
cart….Driving the animal before him, he followed the path. It led up the dry bed
of the stream; the sharp fragments of sun-heated rocks were like burning coals
under his feet. There was no sign of the young woman.”)

 Climax

Ading returned. Manong mustered the courage to talk to her. They conversed
and found comfort in each other’s company.

(“When she was very near, he ate more hurriedly, so that he almost choked. He
did not look at her. She placed the jar between three stones. When she picked up
the rope of the bucket, he came to himself. He looked up--straight into her face. He
saw her eyes. They were brown and were regarding him gravely, without
embarrassment; he forget his own timidity.”)

(“They laughed and felt more at ease and regarded each other more openly. He
took a long time fingering his rice before raising it to his mouth, the while he
gazed up at her and smiled for no reason. She smile back in turn and gave the
rope which she held an absent-minded tug.”)
  Falling Action

After Manong helped Ading, Ading invited Manong to their house. Manong
refuses at first, but Ading insisted.

(“He sent the bull after her with smart slap on its side. Then he quickly gathered
the remains of his meal, put them inside the jute sack which had almost dried, and
himself followed.”)

 Resolution

Manong felt stronger and more enthusiastic.

(“He felt he could follow the slender, little figure ahead of him to the ends of the
earth.”)

CONFLICT

 Man vs. Self

The two main characters had a hard time taking the courage to talk to each
other. The conflict arises in their own minds, fighting on what to do, and
what consequences might go on after.

 Man vs. Nature

“The road seemed to writhe under the lash of the noon-day heat; it swum from
side to side, humped and bent itself like a feeling serpent, and disappeared behind
the spur of a low hill on which grew a scrawny thicket of bamboo.”

THEME

 Attraction during the first meeting

The story is not so special meeting a man and woman that might have a
promising relationship in the future. The characters conversation is plain just
like the landscape setting but it was filled with passion and emotions that
captivate the readers easily. 

 Traditional Filipino Courtship

The story may not directly pointed out Manong courting the young lady,
Ading, but the events during their first meeting is a starting point on how the
binata and dalaga usually fires the urge to be with each other. Manong being
kind of torpe and Ading playing hard to get are some of the conservative
attributes that typical Filipino men and women have.
 Sexuality

Based on how the author described what the characters observed with each
other, the details were kind of sexual in a way. How Manong perceived the
wetted breast of Ading and how Ading was amazed with the masculinity if
Manong’s body.

(“But she staggered a little and water splashed down on her breast. The
single bodice instantly clung to her bosom molding the twin hillocks of
her breasts warmly brown through the wet cloth …"The underpart of her
arm is white and smooth," he said to his blurred image on the water of the well, as
he leaned over before lowering the bucket made of half petroleum can. "And her
hair is thick and black."”)

(“He lowered the bucket with his back to her, and she had time to take in the
tallness of him, the breadth of his shoulders, the sinewy strength of his legs.
Down below in the small of his back, two parallel ridges of rope-like muscle stuck
out against the wet shirt. As he hauled up the bucket, muscles rippled all over his
body. His hair, which was wavy, cut short behind but long in fronts fell in a
cluster over his forehead.”)

SECOND REPORTERS:

Hannah Laine Abelo

Pamela Mennet Llorente

Charlyn Sulad