Huvhie Jhay B.

Mangibin
11 STEM

Buneng
by Jose Bragado

"Buneng" by Jose Bragado is a popular Filipino short story. The issue of favoritism towards the
eldest or youngest child. In this analysis, we will examine the story of "Buneng" through the
lenses of feminist theory and queer theory underlying the with the provided themes.

The primary theme in the story "Buneng" revolves around the issue of favoritism towards the
eldest or youngest child, leaving the middle child feeling neglected. However we can also
consider additional themes that emerge when examining through feminist and queer theory.

Modern feminist literary theory seeks to understand both the literary portrayals and
representation of both women and people in the queer community. Feminism strives for gender
equality and works to help rectify systemic problems that affect the lives of women. When
applying feminist analysis to "Buneng" we can explore how are portrayed and underlying gender
dynamics within the story.

Queer theory is the lens used to explore and challenge how scholars, activists, artistic texts, and
the media perpetuate gender. Applying queer theory to "Buneng '' allows us to examine texts
from the perspective of how they interact with notions of gender and sexuality.

Textual Transcript:

Narrator: Once upon a time, there was a family living in the province. The story starts with
Andres getting mad at his father for he didn’t let Andres go out on a movie date with his friends
come Sunday for no one will be left to work in their foundry.
The representation of women in literature and their agency within the story are contested by
feminist theory. The story also addresses the issue of favoritism towards the eldest or youngest
child, leaving the middle child feeling neglected. Filial piety is another theme discussed, where
Andres chooses to stay with his father instead of going to Manila for further studies. Feminists
argue that children are socialized in accordance with traditional beliefs about gender and gender
roles. According to feminists, such socialisation begins in the nuclear family as children see
these differences recreated between their parents.