”How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” by Manuel Arguilla

How my brother leon brought home a wife is a story written by Manuel Arguilla about a manwho comes home to his province to introduce hiswife from the city to his family. This short storywon first prize in the Commonwealth LiteraryContest in 1940 Summary

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 findhappiness in life or at least the best happiness that can be found in that particular life. The trials just add to the picture being offered by the author.

Theme:

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.

Author
Manuel Estabillo Arguilla (19111944)was an Ilokano writer in English. He is known for his widely anthologized short story “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife, “the main story in the collection” How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Short Stories “which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.

Characters:
Baldo-younger brother of Leon, fetched Leon andMaria from the road to Nagrebcan

Leon (or Noel) -older brother of Baldowho studied inManila where he met his wife

Maria -the beautiful and stunning wife of Leon from Manila

Labang-the bull whom Baldoconsiders as his ³pet´

Norman Tabios-Maria’s ex-boyfriend who happened tobe a loro

Gagambino-Leon’s favorite fictional character whogave him lots of guts to study in Manila

Churita – Labang’sgirlfriend/fiance