How my brother leon brought home a wife

1. TRIVIA La union Its name which means "the union" or "the united" in Spanish. Poro Point
lies northwest of Luzon within San Fernando City in the Province of La Union. The Poro Point
Lighthouse is 8 meters (27 ft) high, its tower made up of concrete tower which consists a gallery
but it has no lantern.
2. THE PORO POINT LIGHTHOUSE LA UNION
3. HISTORY OF REGION 1 KNOWN AS ILOCOS REGION
4. Region 1 was first inhabited by the aboriginal negritos before they were pushed by successive
ways of Malay/Austronesian immigrants that penetrated the narrow coast. From the date of
population distribution of region 1, one third is non Ilocos who live in this region.
5. We all know that region one is also called I locos region but it is a popular misconception. At
present day Vigan city in Ilocos Sur province became bishopric seat of Nueva Segovia. And
many presidents of the Philippines came from Region 1: Elpidio Quirino, Ferdinand Marcos and
Fidel Ramos. As time goes by Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur,Pangasinan and La Union are the
province in Region 1.
6. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MANUEL E. ARGUILLA
7. Manuel Estabillo Arguilla (1911-1944) was born on June 17, 1911 in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La
Union to parents Crisanto Arguilla, a farmer and Margarita Estabillo a potter. He was an
Ilokano writer And he is know for his short history How My Brother Leon Brought Home a
Wife. Which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.
8. He studied at University of the Philippines where he finished BS Education in 1993. He
married Lydia Villanueva, another talented writer in English. Arguilla secretly organized a
guerrilla intelligence unit against the Japanese. In October 1944 at the age of 33,he was
captured, tortured and executed by the Japanese army at Fort Santiago.
9. CHARACTERS Baldo ROLE CHARACTERISTICS The one who narrated the He is
obedient, innocent, story and younger brother and naive boy. of Leon. Leon (Or Noel) The older
brother of He was a responsible, Baldo who brought home gentle, and a loving a wife. husband.
10. Maria She was born and grew She was beautiful, up in a big city and she is supportive,
creative and a the wife of Leon. Labang loving wife. The bull who brought the A hardworking
pet. wife and Leon to the home. And Baldo considers as his pet. Father The one who instructed
The mildest-tempered Baldo on what he will do and gentlest man. while he is on the road with
Leon and Maria.

11. C U A J H E K L F B M B G E Z P E O P K D B Y Z L D Y A J C H A Y O E Q T N O O V C
D TN D O U LLF K LJ N D RYTEWO K TU J E B E R B H LYO K E R D O X M Z S
WRVXPFUNHITCHEDQ
12. Setting: Barrio Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union Conflict: Man vs. Society
13. Climax: When they got home, their father did not welcome them. He was said to be in his
room; his leg is bothering him again. Baldo saw his mother and sister Aurelia and Maria in the
kitchen who seemed like crying. His father removed the roll of tobacco in his mouth when he
saw Baldo and started to ask something about Labang.
14. Theme: The theme of 'How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife' To endure journey
sacrifices is necessary. In order to achieve success we must be strong enough, show
determination, be patient on whatever difficult event or situation you must have to sacrifice just
to be happy.
15. Baldo waits Maria and Leon in a Station so that he will bring the two in their house. Maria
meets Baldo at first time. Leon and Maria ride in the cart with Baldo and Labang.
16. While they are in their journey, Leon asks Baldo on who told him to meet Maria and Leon in
the station. In their journey, Leon and Maria sang a song Sky Sown with Stars. When they
reach to their home, Leon saw his mother and asks on where is his Father
17. Baldo went upstairs to go to his fathers room and tell some story to their journey. And when
Leon and Maria came into the fathers room, his father changed the topic to Labang.

In which the journey and the destination count.

***

When I first read "How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife," I was in fourth grade. And
just like any fourth grader, it didn't mean anything to me. Or perhaps it did, albeit in a very
shallow, childish way. I remember thinking that Maria is a clever and sweet girl when she called
Leon Noel. See, it's Leon spelled backwards! Oh, the simple satisfaction of a child's discovery.

Reading it again several years after, proved to be more than an eye-opener. The short story is not
just a recollection of an afternoon adventure with a brother's fianc. It's a plan made with good
intentions, but was executed with apparent cruelty.

The short story opened with a simple but direct (and quite pictorial) description of Maria.
She stepped down from the carretela of Ca Celin with a quick, delicate grace. She was lovely.
She was tall. She looked up to my brother with a smile, and her forehead was on a level with his
mouth.
Her nails were long, but they were not painted. She was fragrant like a morning when papayas
are in bloom. And a small dimple appeared momently high on her right cheek.
From here, all the other descriptions sprang from Maria. Baldo, Leon's younger brother, see
things only as Maria's periphery. The narrative flow becomes based on whatever Maria looks at,
touches, or whoever comes near Maria. She seems to be a beautiful light source, and any object
only becomes relevant when touched by her radiance.

Baldo was the one tasked to bring Leon and Maria to their house. But instead of following
camino real (which I believe was the main road), Baldo guided Labang (the carabao) the other
way -- back to where Ca Celin dropped them off and into the fields.

This is where things get mysterious and awkward.

When I sent Labang down the deep cut that would take us to the dry bed of the Waig which could
be used as a path to our place during the dry season, my brother Leon laid a hand on my shoulder
and said sternly:
"Who told you to drive through the fields tonight?"
His hand was heavy on my shoulder, but I did not look at him or utter a word until we were on
the rocky bottom of the Waig.
"Baldo, you fool, answer me before I lay the rope of Labang on you. Why do you follow the
Waig instead of the camino real?"
His fingers bit into my shoulder.
"Father, he told me to follow the Waig tonight, Manong."
Swiftly, his hand fell away from my shoulder and he reached for the rope of Labang. Then my
brother Leon laughed, and he sat back, and laughing still, he said:
"And I suppose Father also told you to hitch Labang to the cart and meet us with him instead of
with Castano and the calesa."
What's admirable in Leon's personality is his calmness. He might have already sensed that
something is awry, yet, just like most Filipinos, he chose to dwell on positive things.
Without waiting for me to answer, he turned to her and said, "Maria, why do you think Father
should do that, now?" He laughed and added, "Have you ever seen so many stars before?"
And so they looked at the stars, and sang. They still sang even after the cart's wheels hit a big
rock. And Baldo noticed that Leon and Maria's world is no doubt full of happiness.

After realizing that they are getting nearer Leon's home, Maria expressed her fear that his father
may not like her.

Upon reaching their house, Leon immediately looked for his father. But it was Baldo for whom
the old man called.
"Did you meet anybody on the way?" he asked.
"No, Father," I said. "Nobody passes through the Waig at night."
He reached for his roll of tobacco and hitched himself up in the chair.

"She is very beautiful, Father."

"Was she afraid of Labang?" My father had not raised his voice, but the room seemed to resound
with it.
And again I saw her eyes on the long curving horns and the arm of my brother Leon around her
shoulders.
"No, Father, she was not afraid."
"On the way---"
"She looked at the stars, Father. And Manong Leon sang."
"What did he sing?"
"---Sky Sown with Stars... She sang with him."
He was silent again.
When Leon and Maria entered the old man's room, Baldo was told to water Labang. And on his
way out, he cant help but notice Maria again.
I looked at Maria and she was lovely. She was tall. Beside my brother Leon, she was tall and
very still. Then I went out, and in the darkened hall the fragrance of her was like a morning when
papayas are in bloom.
The story started and ended in the description of the same person. It is easy to think that the story
isn't about Leon. It is about Maria.

In fact, the road Leon's father told Baldo to take is also for Maria. If one considers how Baldo
and Leon had difficulty in tying Labang to the cart, and even guiding him to the part where the
camino real curves (because Labang wanted to go straight on), it is very apparent that even the
animal isn't used to taking that road.

Why the old man decided that the visitor ride on the hay in a cart (in her high heels) and pass by
the field instead of a more comfortable calesa in a shorter road isn't answered. The interrogation
of Baldo (which doesn't provide straight answers, too) seemed to be inevitable, but nonetheless
significant.

The epiphany in the story is very subtle. The falling action quite abrupt. What could remain in
the readers' minds is the question of how Maria would keep her composure in front of the old
man considering the journey they have just taken. She doesn't appear to have enough time to
gather her thoughts and feeling, any more than she has time to rest.

And in the end. That's what the old man wants -- to see her for what she really is.

In his novel The Winner Stands Alone, Paulo Coelho wrote, Life has many ways of testing a
person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.
He implies that life is full of surprises. And a person's character is reflected by his or her
reactions for both scenarios.

In Maria's case, everything seemed to happen all at once: her desire to look the best she could,
only to be part of an uncomfortable journey, and then face a man whom everybody seemed to be
scared of.

Instead of complaining, she spoke calmly, remained full of gaiety and laughter and finesse, and
admired the beauty of nature that Ermita is forever bereft. She may not have gone through the
tests of Psyche and Savitri, but in her own difficult journey, she stood out for what she really is -a beautiful woman inside and out.

How my brother Leon brought home a wife: A critical analysis

Characters:
Baldo - He was one of the main characters in the short story. He was Leons younger brother. Baldo
was unperturbed man, and he was quiet. He was the narrator of the story.
Leon - He was the oldest brother of Baldo. He was the husband of Maria. Maria called him Noel.
Maria - She was a beautiful and lovely. Her forehead was on a level with his mouth, her nails were
long, but they were not painted, and have a small dimple appeared momentarily high up on her
right cheek. She was tall and very still. Her fragrance was like a morning when papayas are in
bloom.
Labang The bull of Leon and Baldo.
Father He was mildest tempered, gentlest man. He was the father of Baldo and Leon.
Mother He was the mother of Baldo and Leon.
Aurelia She was the sister of Baldo and Leon.
Summary / Synopsis:

Maria was a wife of Leon. She was lovely and beautiful. Her fragrant like a morning when papayas are in
bloom. Leon was lived in far place of Nagrebcan. Leonbrought Maria to Nagrebcan to introduce to his father. The
couple enjoys talking while in traveled riding in the cart hitch to Labang. Baldo who is quiet and observing his brother
and spouse. When they arrived home, Baldo went to the room of his father. The room is quiet and dark. His father
was smoking while sat in the big armchair by the western window. And they talk about Maria. Afterwards the door
opened, and Leon and Maria came in. Baldo looked to Maria and went out to watered Labang which his father told to
him.
Characterization:
Baldo is the narrator of the story because he is the one who relates us what happened to the story. Were Baldo is the
younger brother of Leon. Baldo is a quiet person. It is very detectable that Baldo is observing his brother Leon and
spouse how is Maria. When his father asks him Was she afraid of Labang? Baldo lied and says No, Father, she was
not afraid. Even though Maria afraid. It means that Baldo like Maria as a wife of Leon but inside, he also admires the
beauty of Maria. In here, the main characters were the couple Leon and Maria. Leon has a strong personality because
he did not afraid to present Maria to his father as her wife. He was very proud of Maria as her wife. Maria truly
love Leon because she fight for what she believe was right, it doesnt matter if the world told her that its wrong. I
could say that Maria and the mother of Leon plays and represent the Filipino women. The father of Baldo has a deep
personality. He was a responsibly father because he use his righteous way as a head of the family. It only means that
the father or the man is the authority. He doesnt want Leon to go to the wrong way. So, he makes some trials to Maria
trying to test Marias characteristic, her attitude, her looks, how she talks and the way she handle the situation. His
mother was a responsibly mother. She does the light of the family and represents the Filipino women.
Settings:

The setting of the story was in Nagrebcan, Leons hometown. This story takes place in a farm where people would
usually ride in carabao. The place was in the local province. In the story, Maria who was Leons wife described
physically and with her posture as a conservative and traditionalist which would probably described as a Filipino
woman. As an alternative, they took a shortcut in a field. In my opinion, one can visualize that there is some kind of a
test for the two of them. Maria must surpass that trial. It was as there family of Leon is trying to test Marias
characteristic, her attitude, her looks, how she talks and the way she handle the situation.
Plot:
The plot is compose of inciting action, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. The inciting action was
when She stepped down to the Carretela of Ca Celin with a quick, delicate grace. She look lovely, she was tall. She
looked up to my brother with a smile, and her forehead was on level with his mouth. The rising action was when they
took the dry bed of Waig as a substitute of passing the Camino Real and it was the wish of there father to go by Waig.
The climax of the story was when Maria told Leon that she was afraid of his father in law maybe his father thinking of
not liking her. The falling action came when Leon was searching for their father and her mother told them that his leg
is bothering him again. The conclusion was when Baldo cross the threshold of his father and ask him about Maria.
Afterwards the door opened and Leon and Maria came in. Baldo looked to Maria so lovely and went out to watered
Labang which his father told him.
Themes:
The theme of the story is Love makes Maria and Leon go straight whatever struggles come will be ignore to them. I
dont know if there relationship will last long because Maria is a city girl while Leon is a barrio boy.
Reactions of the story:
My reaction of the story is the story is good and it reflects to the modern youth even if the story is very old. I describe
Maria as an example of Filipino women and also her attitude as a mahinhin. The couple Leon and Maria faces many
trials while in traveled to Nagrebcan. Even though, Maria passed those trials. So, therefore Maria is very
understanding kind of girl. The story talks about the characteristic of Maria, her attitude, her looks, how she talks and
the way she handle the situation that riding a bull and passed through Waig. Therefore, basically a woman creates for
men.

How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife

This interesting story tells about a womans struggle as she tries to gain the worthiness needed to be
accepted by her husbands family. The story is set in Nacreban, where the husband lives.
In the story, Leon and Maria, the wife, face many challenges along the way, including the passing in
the so-called Waig instead of the Camino Real or the paved road. But in the end of the story, both
lovers overcome these trials when they reached Leons family house.
As a reader, this story shows how true love can surmount all challenges. And as in the case for some
women, this story shows how to adjust to their husbands rural lifestyle.

As one of the many stories, this story is very unique because it accurately describes Marias ways of
adjusting to Leons hometown. It also has a very powerful impact on the essences of love because it
shows that a person from the urban area can be somehow compatible with a partner from the rural
area.
Overall, this story can be enjoyable to read over and over until the reader captures the very thought
of the story. It serves as an inspiration for many, and for future generations to come.
Yuri Nabkov