2007-57330 August 21, 2008

Critical Analysis of the Short Story

“How My Brother Leon Brought a Wife”

When people read this literature at first, often would you find confused faces for they thought it had an
obscure and not-so-attractive story. The story is subtle for you won’t be able to see some deeper implications of it
just on its surface. You have to dig further and internalize to extract relevant points as well as issues which pervades
in the story.

Primarily, the main issue that is contained in the story is the presence of a patriarchal ideology or in its
practical form, a patriarchal system. In this practice, there is a male domination in terms of control of operation in
social institutions. In the story, there is a depiction of the “rule of father” which favors men over women. To that
extent, there is a benefit of the rulers at the expense of the ruled. Men as husbands and fathers, rule with
unchallenged authority the lives of women and children in their family.

The story points out how the Leon’s father tested Maria if she really deserves to be the wife of his son.
Recall the scenario when Baldo sent Labang down the deep cut that would take them to the dry bed of the Waig,
instead of traversing through the Camino Real. It was their father who told Baldo to follow the Waig that night. And
also the one who decided to hitch Labang to the cart and meet them instead with Castano and the Calesa. Along the
way, they’ve been through the dark fields, and some jolting as they crossed the low dikes which made them sit
painfully and uncomfortably. It is a clear establishment of patriarchy in the sense that, as the “father rule” concept is
concerned, Leon’s father was the sole person who gives instructions and holds the authority without being
questioned. He was the one who wanted to verify the worthiness of Leon’s future wife by subjecting her to some
tests. He is the one who determines major decisions in the family including matters regarding marriage. Leon’s
mother on the other hand was subjected to the will of her husband. If compared in the present-day situation of our
society, both parents, the mother and the father, are both considered and their approval in choosing their son or
daughter’s lifetime partner is of the same value. And why is it that it was only Baldo who was given the chance to
talk about his impression to Maria? Clearly, Baldo was already familiarizing himself with his future roles. Since he
is a male, he was given more opportunity by his father to be heard. Leon’s mother and his sister were never heard in
the story, given the chance to give their statement of approval or disapproval for Maria as their new family member.

Dealing further with the patriarchy issue, looking at the story in a different perspective, was it fair for
Maria to be subjected to such tests in order for her to prove her worthiness to be the wife of Leon? Have they ever
thought at some extent if Leon even deserved to be the husband of Maria? Obviously, it has something to do with
Maria being the female partner that she bears the burden of proving more of what she has in order to be liked by her
new in-laws, particularly, her father-in-law.

The story was also relating to us a theme of love. It is a kind of love that surpasses the difference of two
different people, with different breeding, status and lovers with entirely different world. Maria is a city girl while
Baldo is a barrio boy. Two different worlds that may cause differences in their way of living. It gives two opposite
themes which is countryside versus city life. City adapts to country in the person of Maria while country adapts in
the person of Leon. The story puts another emphasis how true love can surpass the limits of belonging in two
opposite worlds. And how love should pass through the tests and struggles that will come along in their relationship.

The characters in the story were of different ways of adding color in the story. First, is Baldo which is the
narrator. He was very observant to his brother and his spouse. One was when he heard his brother calling his wife as
Maria and not Mayang or Maring and as well as when Maria called Leon as Noel, which is just Leon said
backwards. He thought there if their father would like the way how Maria calls his brother Leon. It implies how they
take into consideration every action they’ll do to jive with the acceptance of their father (another point of reference
to patriarchy). He admires the beauty of Maria and he really liked her sister-in-law. When his father asks him “Was
she afraid of Labang?” Baldo lied and says “No, Father, she was not afraid.” Even though Maria showed hesitations
in handling Labang at first. It means that Baldo like Maria as a wife of Leon but inside, he also admires the beauty
of Maria. Next is Leon. He has a strong personality for he was courageous enough in bringing home and introducing
his wife to his family. Maria is the depiction of the Maria Clara of their time. She is beautiful inside and out. She
loves Leon so much that she willingly went through all the tests that were given to her. The father of Leon has a
deep personality. He was a responsible father because he use his righteous way as a head of the family. He made
some trials to Maria to test Maria’s characteristic, her attitude and the way she handle the situation. His mother was
a mother unheard in the story. She played a very minor role which further supported the idea that the story was of a
patriarchal influence.

The setting which is Nagrebcan is the beautiful hometown of Leon. The shortcut in the field is trying to
visualize that there is a test that Maria should undergo and successfully pass through. It was an effective way of
introducing Maria to the countryside world--- a world totally different to the bright city she grew up. If Maria has
decided to be with a barrio boy, then she should have the guts to live in the world that her husband originated. A
world which is far from the noisy atmosphere of cities. The shortcut may also be a plan of Leon’s father so that no
one will saw Leon and his wife since no one passes through the Waig at night. The Castano and calesa is a horse and
carriage. The father was testing Maria to see if she would accept the ways of the country with the buffalo and the
cart and going through the Waig instead of the main road.

It is depicted in the story how worried Maria was if she will be liked by Leon’s father. The word ogre used
to describe her perception of Leon’s father. They sang the song “Sky sown with Stars” which is a peasant song.
They saw a big star which for them their star and the star looked bigger in Nagrebcan compared when they view it in
other places. It symbolizes their belief that they will be at their brightest if they will live in Leon’s hometown. The
idea of meeting with Leon's parents for the first time made Maria a bit anxious. But along their way home, Maria
discovered the peculiarities of the life in Nagrebcan as opposed to their life in the city where she met and fell in love
with Leon. The father seemed to accept Maria at the end, when he saw her and ended his interrogation with Baldo
by asking if he watered Labang already.