MANUEL ARGUILLA

Manuel E. Arguilla was born on June 17, 1911 in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union to parents
Crisanto Arguilla, a farmer, and Margarita Estabillo, a potter.
Their mediocre living was not a hindrance for Manuel to
attain his dreams especially in literature.
He finished his elementary school in his hometown and his
high school in San Fernando where he became the editorin-chief of his school's newsletter, the La Union Tab. He was
also an athlete where he became champion in swimming
events he joined. He entered the University of the
Philippines where he joined the UP Writers Club and later
became the president and the editor of the UP Literary
Apprentce. He finished Education in 1933. He married Lydia
Villanueva, a fellow artist and writer and lived in Ermita,
Manila.Upon graduation, he practive his profession in
University of Manila. He later joined the Bureau of Public
welfare where he was the editor of Welfare Advocate, the
bureau's publication. As a writer, his famous works were
compiled in a book entitled How my Brother Leon Brought
Home a Wife (And Other Stories) published by Philippine Book Guild in 1940. These stories
were written when he was 22-29 years old. This collection of stories won first prize in short story
category during the first Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.
When the Japanese invaded the country in 1941, Arguilla join the freedom forces of the country
and led a division of the Marking's Guerillas. He was captured by the Japanese in 1944 and was
imprisoned in Fort Santiago together with his family. His family was later freed but Manuel was
sentenced to death. He was executed on October 1944 at age of 33.
Manuel Arguilla, an Ilocano pride. His shown love to the country as a teacher, a writer, and a
freedom fighter was a virtue of patriot who offered his talents and life for the country.

HOW MY BROTHER BROUGHT HOME A WIFE

( LITERARY ANALYSIS )
CHARACTERS :
BALDO - younger brother of Leon
LEON/NOEL - older brother of Baldo who have met his wife in a city
MARIA - the beautiful and down to earth wife of Leon
LABANG - the bull of Leon and Baldo whom their considered as a part of their family
AURELIA - sister of Baldo and Leon

SETTING :
Barrio Nagrebcan, La Union

SHORT PLOT :
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. Leon brought 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.

THEME :

Respect and accept one's life.

One may have to sacrifice

small part of ones life in order to
be happy.

SYMBOLISM :
ROCKY ROAD - trials and struggles
WEARING HIGH HEELS AND SKIRT - ultra feminine nature of the character and her class in
the society.
SKY SOWN WITH STARS ( SONG ) - Leon's connection to his roots.
HORSE-DAWN CALESA VS. BULL - the gap between the social status and class of Leon and
Maria.

CARLOS
BULOSAN
Carlos Bulosan was born in the Philippines in the rural
farming village of Mangusmana, near the town of
Binalonan (Pangasinan province, Luzon island). He was
the son of a farmer and spent most of his upbringing in
the countryside with his family. Like many families in
the Philippines, Carloss family struggled to survive
during times of economic hardship. Many families were
impoverished and many more would suffer because of
the conditions in the Philippines created by US
colonization. Rural farming families like Carlos family
experienced severe economic disparity due to the
growing concentration of wealth and power in the
hands of the economic and political elite. Determined to
help support his family and further his education,
Carlos decided to come to America with the dream to
fulfill these goals. Traveling by ship, Carlos arrived in
Seattle on July 22, 1930 at the age of seventeen. With
only three years of education from the Philippines, Carlos spoke little English and had barely any

money left. Desperate to survive, he soon began working various low-paying jobs: servicing in
hotels, harvesting in the fields, and even embarking to the Alaskan canneries. During his hardships
in finding employment, Carlos experienced much economic difficulty and racial brutality that
significantly damaged his health and eventually changed his perception of America. From several
years of racist attacks, starvation, and sickness, Carlos underwent surgery for tuberculosis in Los
Angeles. His health condition with tuberculosis forced him to undergo three operations where he
lost most of the right side of his ribs and the function of one lung. Yet, he recovered and stayed in the
hospital for about two years where he spent much of his time reading and writing. The
discrimination and unhealthy working conditions Carlos had experienced in many of his workplaces
encouraged him to participate in union organizing with other Filipinos and various workers. Carlos
become a self-educated and prolific writer determined to voice the struggles he had undergone as a
Filipino coming to America and the struggles he had witnessed of other people. Like many of his
fellow Filipinos in his time, Carlos never had the opportunity to return to the Philippines. After
years of hardship and flight, he passed away in Seattle suffering from an advanced stage of
bronchopneumonia. He is buried at Queen Anne Hill in Seattle.

FREEDOM FROM WANT

( LITERARY ANALYSIS )
CHARACTERS :

The narrator, Carlos Bulosan (as an immigrant worker in U.S. in 1946)

Other people, immigrant workers, Americans
You, being the reader

SETTING :

SHORT PLOT :

THEME :
Personal and motivational story depicting the struggles for freedom, fighting for DEMOCRACY
and striving to be free from want was an indelible and lasting part of his life and was a strong
motivating factor in his writing.

SYMBOLISM :
Become animate in the Growth of Kansas wheat or in the ring of Mississippi rain
We are the living dreams of dead men. We are the living spirits of free men.
We are the desires of anonymous men. We are the subways of suffering, the well of indignities.
We are the living testament of a flowering race.

CARLOS
BULOSAN

Carlos Bulosan was born in the Philippines in the rural

farming village of Mangusmana, near the town of
Binalonan (Pangasinan province, Luzon island). He was
the son of a farmer and spent most of his upbringing in
the countryside with his family. Like many families in
the Philippines, Carloss family struggled to survive
during times of economic hardship. Many families were
impoverished and many more would suffer because of
the conditions in the Philippines created by US
colonization. Rural farming families like Carlos family
experienced severe economic disparity due to the
growing concentration of wealth and power in the
hands of the economic and political elite. Determined to
help support his family and further his education,
Carlos decided to come to America with the dream to
fulfill these goals. Traveling by ship, Carlos arrived in
Seattle on July 22, 1930 at the age of seventeen. With
only three years of education from the Philippines,
Carlos spoke little English and had barely any money left. Desperate to survive, he soon began
working various low-paying jobs: servicing in hotels, harvesting in the fields, and even embarking to
the Alaskan canneries. During his hardships in finding employment, Carlos experienced much
economic difficulty and racial brutality that significantly damaged his health and eventually
changed his perception of America. From several years of racist attacks, starvation, and sickness,
Carlos underwent surgery for tuberculosis in Los Angeles. His health condition with tuberculosis
forced him to undergo three operations where he lost most of the right side of his ribs and the
function of one lung. Yet, he recovered and stayed in the hospital for about two years where he spent
much of his time reading and writing. The discrimination and unhealthy working conditions Carlos
had experienced in many of his workplaces encouraged him to participate in union organizing with
other Filipinos and various workers. Carlos become a self-educated and prolific writer determined to
voice the struggles he had undergone as a Filipino coming to America and the struggles he had
witnessed of other people. Like many of his fellow Filipinos in his time, Carlos never had the
opportunity to return to the Philippines. After years of hardship and flight, he passed away in Seattle
suffering from an advanced stage of bronchopneumonia. He is buried at Queen Anne Hill in Seattle.

MY FATHER GOES TO COURT

( LITERARY ANALYSIS )
CHARACTERS :

Young Narrator
Mother
Father
Children
Rich man
Servants
Judge
Lawyer
Policeman

SETTING :
CITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
SHORT PLOT :

THEME :

Rich vs. Poor

Ignorance vs. Wise
Happiness vs. Materialistic
Poverty

SYMBOLISM :
MOLAVE Symbolizes strong and power
SPIRIT OF THE FOOD Symbolizes the aroma of the food
SPIRIT OF THE MONEY Symbolizes the sweet tinkle of coins
COURT Symbolizes justice
OLD AND FEEBLE Symbolizes weakness or unstable
LAUGHING FAMILY Symbolizes a happy family, satisfied and contended