Manuel G.

Araullo High School

Taft Avenue Corner U.N Ave, Ermita, Manila
Senior High School Department

The Small Key

By: Paz Latorena

Submittd to:
Efigenia Q. Magallanes
Submitted by:
Leader: Irupang, Naomi Lois
Members: Fazon, Rhonalinn Mae M.
Castillo, Jaycee D.
Dino, Emilia Miognette G.
Labrador, Jonas
12- STEM A
September 21, 2022
 I. SUMMARY
Married couple Soledad and Pedro Buhay live on a farm. Soledad, despite knowing that the farm will
produce plenty still felt a bit discontented. And to fill this kind of feeling, she decided to mend some of her
husband’s shirts, which were in a locked trunk.

Pedro took out from his pocket two keys, a large and small key – he gave the large key to his wife to open
the large trunk where his clothes can be found putting back the small key to his jacket’s pocket. Feeling hot
that morning, he took off his jacket, and when Soledad attempted to fold the jacket neatly, the small key fell
to the floor.

It’s obvious to her that the small key holds great value to her husband. She tried hard to keep her mind off
the small key but curiosity ate her up. She opened it and was pained to see that it contained the old clothes
of his first wife. She wondered why he was still keeping it and feared that her husband is still in love with
his deceased first wife. Soledad got worried that this may destroy their relationship.

Pedro returns home to Soledad who was pretending to have a fever. The next morning, he discovered the
pile of ashes and half-burnt clothing in the backyard. He then realized what Soledad did. He rushed to the
small trunk and his hunches were confirmed. He got angry and he is expecting Soledad to talk about it with
him and explain why she did it. Within him, he knows he can eventually forgive but he is also aware of how
this would impact their lives.

II. ELEMENTS OF THE STORY

i. CHARACTERS
a) Pedro Buhay
• Husband of Soledad
• Also known as “Indo”
b) Soledad
• Wife of Pedro Buhay
• Also known as “Choleng”
c) Tia Mia
• House Maid of Indo and Choleng
d) Dr. Santos
• Doctor of Soledad

ii. SETTINGS

House Back yard

iii. PLOT
a. Exposition:
- It was warm. The sun up above the sky was all blue and tremendous. Pedro
Buhay, a prosperous farmer, was eating. He is in a hurry to get back to work.
b. Rising Action
- Since it was warm, Pedro took off his coat. Soledad began to fold the garment.
As she was doing so, the small key fell from the floor. She picked it up. She tried
to resist herself from opening the trunk. But her curiosity took over.
- Soledad was in bed with a fever.
- Pedro went to town and brought a doctor.
c. Climax
- The next day, he went to the backyard and saw half-burnt panuelo.
- He examined the slightly ruined garment.
- A puzzled expression came into his eyes. First it was doubt groping for truth,
then amazement, & finally agonized incredulity passed across his face.
d. Falling Action
- He almost ran back to the house. In three strides he was upstairs. He found his
coat from the back of the chair.
- He entered the room and opened the small trunk, it was empty.
e. Resolution
- The physician merely prescribed a day of complete rest.
- Pedro was trying not to be angry with his wife.
- He was hoping that Soledad would be repentant and would explain things, and
he would eventually forgive her because he loves her.

iv. CONFLICT

Man Vs Man
- When Soledad saw the small key, and opened an old trunk/torn garments of
Pedro's first wife. Then Soledad felt angry and jealous because Pedro still
treasure the things of first wife. And because of that, Pedro and hearing his
reason why he kept a thing that Soledad didn't know.

v. POINT OF VIEW
- THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW: a form of storytelling in which a narrator
relates all action in third person, using third person pronouns such as "he" or
"she." Third person point of view may be omniscient or limited. Often new
writers feel most comfortable with first person, but writing in the third
person allows a writer more freedom in how a story is told.
 vi. THEME

• Marriage- Marriage should be about understanding each

other
• Trust- The married couple should have entrusted their
partner's words and actions.
• Communication- Communication is the key to one's
successful marriage.

III. MORAL LESSON

• In every relationship, there should be trust between couples. A man should give his full trust
to his woman and the woman should trust her man. Pedro forgave her wife not even thinking
twice for what she did and for me, that's the essence of love, being ready to forgive and forget
just to save the relationship.

IV. SYMBOLISM

SMALL KEY
– it served as the object that reminds him of his first wife.

TRUNK
-symbolized how Pedro tried to hide his memories of his dead wife.

LARGE KEY
- It represents to Soledad because she has a power to burnt the clothes of the
first wife of Pedro

V. SOCIO-RELEVANCE
▪ Sometimes people do something to satisfy themselves even when they are fully aware of what the
consequences of their actions will be. Through this theme, we will know some nature of person: that
we do some decisions without thinking critically. Then lately we realize that what we've done is
wrong. In the story, Pedro shows the filipino attitude and characteristic of being sentimental that
he give importance to the person he love and to the things the deceased have left. And for Soledad,
she portrays another filipino attitude of being jealous and a person of mistrust. The story for us also
banks in the concept and ideology of love, trust and forgiveness. For it was emphasized in the story
how love can transcend in different aspect and faces; and how love can lead into issues of trust and
forgiveness at the same time.
VI. REFERENCE
▪ https://prezi.com/oyk_klczaihy/the-small-key-by-paz-m-
latorena/?frame=f939f8e8bbc3be8dbe215ee085f1a4a80087e6b2&fbclid=IwAR2hlYxhj4a8SnRqE
xlPmN1MqdTTprQaIcY-Wbhupsf2cGae3ZSev_0RtZ4
▪ https://prezi.com/99trz6dqpy-n/the-small-
key/?frame=0128e89bfa7808af344f8bc37b3bfcf92d249eaf
▪ http://thesmallkey.blogspot.com/
▪ https://prezi.com/ufffymta7fcy/the-small-key/

VII. DOCUMENTATION