Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY-CCAT

Cavite College of Arts and Trades Campus Rosario, Cavite
(046)437-9505 / (046)437-6659
cvsu.rosario@gmail.com www.cvsu-rosario.edu.ph

Written Report in GNED 15: World Literature

MIDSUMMER
by Manuel Arguilla

Submitted to:
Ms. Shanna Ky Opina

Submitted by:
Pauline Erika J. Martin

  

June 2023
Manuel Arguilla

✔ Born in Barangay Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union on June 17, 1911.

✔ A writer in La Union Tab and graduated as Salutatorian at La Union National High

School in 1929.

✔ He graduated Bachelor of Science in Education at UP Diliman on 1932.

✔ Good English Writer

✔ Famous on his short story “How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”

✔ A Patriotic Filipino

✔ Champion during the Paligsahang Pamanitikan ng Komonwelt in 1940

✔ A Martyr killed by the Japanese because of helping the guerillas in 1944

✔ The story was published in the “Philippine Magazine” in 1933.

✔ The United States exercised formal colonial rule over the Philippines, its largest overseas

colony, between 1899 and 1946

Vocabulary

✔ Manong - Ilokano term given to first-born male

✔ Ading - a title applied to someone younger

✔ Sojourn - a temporary stay

✔ Aridity - the state or quality of being extremely dry

✔ Fervor - intense heat

 ✔ Tantalizing - exciting one's senses or desires.

✔ Mystique - a fascinating aura of mystery, awe, and power

✔ Flanked - be on each or on one side of.

✔ Aloft – overhead

✔ Belch - burp

✔ Remnant– a small remaining quantity of something.

✔ Sustenance - nourishment

✔ Chivalry - very polite, honest, and kind behavior, especially by men toward women

Midsummer (summary)

Set in the middle part of summer, the story follows a wandering man Manong alongside
his cart and bull on a sojourn in the fields. Suddenly, in the midst of the aridity and fervor, there
stood a tantalizing, gorgeous woman Ading. In their first meeting, Ading manifested a mystique
personality as she awaited the approaching strange man and left out of nowhere. Again, they met
in a predictable manner yet full of awe, as Manong gazed at the dazzling wet figure of the
woman flanked by mango tree and well. She left with a water-filled jar aloft her head, balanced
as she walked rhythmically into the road. Finally, Ading came back to refill her jar in the same
place where Manong had already been eating his dinner. As Ading did so, she and Manong
conversed with stories about food and belch. She then spilled the bucket of Manong into his
remnant sustenance. Manong withheld to let Ading replace the water. In return for this chivalry,
Ading bade if Manong could come into their house since she had already told her mother about
him.
How did the author describe the place?

The author used imagery to paint a vivid landscape of the fields. It employed highly
descriptive and moving adjectives to express the other elements in the setting such as the gorge,
bamboo, hills, and mountains. In some parts, the simile was depicted to illustrate the zigzag and
meandering road as a serpent writhing under the poignant heat and disappearing behind a low
hill. The ground filled with sun-heated rocks were pronounced as burning coals by means of
simile as well. Since the location lacked gust, one of the main characters, Manong allure the
wind by whistling as if it had life, hence, the usage of personification. By and large, the
prodigious play of words made the story come to life and made it his own.

What can you see, feel, hear, and smell as you read?

✔ As a reader, one is encapsulated in the journey of Manong along with the wide-ranging

fields

✔ One can feel perspiration due to the intense climate as it was the season of summer.

✔ The road was bumpy so one can hear its thud and whistling of winds though seldom.

✔ One can scent fresh, clean, and pleasant air ensued from soils and trees

✔ Ading wore a see-through, home knitted, and checkered blouse and skirt.

✔ He ate his dinner, the rice beside the egg inside the coconut shell was still smoking, there

was a bamboo tube of salt, a plain cake of brown sugar in a banana leaf, and dried
shrimps.

✔ One can feel the profound consciousness between them as Manong hurried to eat and

choked.

✔ They spoke in a soft, uncertain, and respectful manner.

✔ Now that it was easier and more open, he gazed and smiled at her, she did the same.

Behind those smiles, was a hint that one liked the other and was hoping for more than just
a silly meeting.

✔ Ading spilled Manong’s bucket of water into his food, splashed and immersed the

ground. Manong contended that he will be the one to refill his bucket and it was not her
fault it occurred. Gentleman as he was, he knew how burdensome to draw water from the
well.

✔ Behind her, as they continued the trail, Manong thought how kind-hearted and lovely she

was while holding the bucket and walking graciously. He sniffed the unmoving air,
seizing the moment.

✔ Instantaneously, he felt strong internally, beside this incredible woman he was with, like,

all was possible and endless. He had grown to love her in a small amount of time.