How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife

The theme of 'How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife' is that one must preserve, even through certain sacrifices, in order to reach one's goal. In particular:

- One may have to surrender a small part of one's life in order to be happy.

In the story, Leon arrived with his wife in the country meeting Leon's brother for the first time. They took a surprising route home for Leon, but it was meant as a test for the wife to see if she could endure the sacrifices she made and meet her new family.

The entire story serves as a test for the wife. Each test was to show whether the woman could indeed live with strangers all for love. This can be a secondary theme, but more importantly, it is a theme in which the main character learns that though there are sacrifices it is worth it in the end.

He even begins to think about getting himself a wife eventually. This helps to show the theme and how it developed. He notices through all the tests the woman though afraid will preserve through the trials in order to be happy with Leon at his home.

The fact that the country is different from the city can be somewhat daunting the closer they get to the home, but she still manages to overcome and under come any trials.

The wife admits to having some fear, but also shows clearly it did not stop her. This is why the theme is related to how one may have to give up some things in order to find happiness in life or at least the best happiness that can be found in that particular life. The trials just add to thepicture being offered by the author.

2. Arguilla's short story can be read as the uneasy intermingling of two approaching social spheres, the urban and the rural. This is in many ways afish out of water story, Maria is out of her element in the countryside and Leon out of his element in attempting to reconnect with his father (who is the mastermind behind much of the plot) and convince him that Maria is a worthy daughter in law.

The wife, Maria, is distinctively of the city. Her references are urban, It is so many times bigger and brighter than it was at Ermita beach. and she has to be instructed in the proper way of riding a cart, Maria, sit down on the hay and hold on to anything. There too is the tentativeness in which she approaches the carabao Labang, She hesitated and I saw that her eyes were on the long, curving horns.

Moreover, she carries with her as well the slight imperiousness of the city, shown when she identifies the narrator as if bestowing his name, 'You are Baldo,' she said and placed her hand lightly on my shoulder.

Adding to Maria's allure is her distinctiveness other-ness which quickly besots the narrator, Baldo. He repeatedly describes her as fragrant like a morning when papayas are in bloom. Other characters in the story are similarly taken by Maria, a woman very different from those they are accustomed, I watched Ca Celin, where he stood in front of his horse, and he ran his fingers through its forelock and could not keep his eyes away from her.

If Maria is encountering the countryside for the first time her husband, Leon, is reintroducing himself to it. Simply put, the country folk are no longer sure of Leon who has gone off to the city and studies, gotten a new name, and then returned with a Manilena for a wife. As Baldo muses to himself, Now where did she get that name? I pondered the matter quietly to myself, thinkingFather might not like it. But it was only the name of my brother Leon said backward and it sounded much better that way.

This unease with the couple is illustrated by the arduous path home they are made to take by Leon's father. The way home is a test, of both Maria and Leon. The drive along the dry river bed is bumpy and uncomfortable, The jolting became more frequent and painful as we crossed the low dikes. Furthermore the path is dark and isolated, sure to test the mettle of someone faint of heart, All the laughter seemed to have gone out of her... Nobody passes through the Waig at night.

In the end, Maria passes the test and the patriarch, Father, begins to accept his new daughter in law. That Maria has passed, has begun to become accepted by the countryfolk, is seen in the final image of the story, where her scent begins to diffuse throughout the family home, Then I went out, and in the darkened hall the fragrance of her was like a morning when papayas are in bloom.

3.

about a man who comes home to his province to introduce his wife from the city to his family.

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 doesn't matter if the world told her that it's 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