MIDSUMMER

BY MANUEL ARGUILLA

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Presented by: BRIXYLLE ANNE A. STO. DOMINGO
TABLE OF CONTENTS

A INTRODUCTION A:

B INTROCTION B:

Presentation C STORY PLOT

Overview
D POV

E TONE

F THEME ANALYSIS

G CHARACTER ANALYSIS

H CONCLUSION

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 INTRODUCTION A: THE MAIN INTRODUCTION

One of the most revered literary masterpieces in the Philippines is The Story
of Midsummer. Manuel Arguilla's Midsummer has a very brief and
straightforward tale and is set on a very hot summer day. The plot revolves
around a man who meets a stunning Filipina woman by the well on a hot
summer day. It is conceptually built on the forces of attraction and gravity
between two strangers, a young maiden named Ading who is a Mahinhin
Filipina and a little boy named Manong who is a Binata. It was a case of "show,
don't tell," since the guy and the woman's amorous feelings and tension could
be seen in both their actions and, to some extent, their words.

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 INTRODUCTION B: THE WRITER
On June 17, 1911, Ilocano author Manuel E. Arguilla was born in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La
Union, His mother Margarita Estabillo was a potter and his father Crisanto Arguilla
was a farmer. Despite their modest means, Manuel was able to pursue his aspirations,
particularly those in literature. He completed elementary school in his village and high
school in San Fernando, where he rose to the position of editor-in-chief of the La
Union Tab, the school newspaper. He participated in swimming competitions and
won them as an athlete. His well-known writings were collected in a book titled How
my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife (And Other Stories), which was published by
Philippine Book Guild in 1940. He eventually joined the Bureau of Public Welfare,
where he served as the editor of Welfare Advocate, the bureau's journal. He wrote
these tales between the ages of 22 and 29. In 1944, he was taken prisoner by the
Japanese and held in Fort Santiago along with his family. Later, his family was
released, but Manuel received a death sentence. At the age of 33, he was executed in
October 1944. Ilocanos are proud of Manuel Arguilla. His demonstrated love for the
nation as a professor, author, and freedom fighter was a quality of a patriot who gave
his skills and life for the nation.

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 STORY PLOT
The story centers on a man who, on a steamy summer day, meets a lovely Filipina woman by the
well. On a long, dry road, the man is initially tethered to his bull with his cart when he suddenly
notices a woman standing still and watches the man approach her. From a distance, the man
could see how meticulously described the woman was from head to toe. The woman brought the
man to a well beneath a large mango tree after he had followed her to where she went. He
observed her filling the jar and placing it atop her head. The man walks to the well to get water for
his bull and himself while still thinking about the woman after she has left. When the woman
returns to refill her jar, the man eats his dinner under the shade of the tree. As she fills her jar the
man invites the woman referring to her as Ading, to eat with her. The woman then addresses the
man as Manong and thankfully refuses his invitation to eat as she herself just ate. They converse
and suddenly the woman spills water all over the food and apologizes by getting him water but
the Manong insists that he fetch it from the well. Ading notices Manong’s well built muscles and
body as he fetches water, showing her how strong he is. He drinks his water as Ading lifts the
bucket for him. The story ends with Ading inviting her to their home and Manong follows her with
his cart and bull.

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 POINT OF VIEW

The story was told from a third-person perspective by the

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 TONE

The character's discourse, like it is simple, but it is loaded with passion and
heart. As Manuel Arguilla describes the characters' appearances and
behaviors, readers may feel the tension between the two persons. For
instance: "Her lips parted in a half smile and a little dimple appeared high
upon her right cheek." It's possible that Manuel Arguilla wanted his readers to
understand how it's possible to fall in love when you least expect it. The tale
could be categorized as a case of love at first sight.

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 THEME
The themes of “Midsummer” by Manuel Arguilla are love and sexuality that
show the intense sexual heat and tension between the man and the woman. It
was evident that these two had some attraction towards each other and had
an appreciation for each other’s physical traits. Arguilla had made the story so
detailed I felt that each description instantly painted a picture for me in my
mind and I did not have to imagine much.

Attraction during the first meeting

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 CHARACTER ANALYSIS
MANONG

Manong was a young man. He had a brawny build, the breath of his shoulders, the sturdy power of
his legs, and at his back, two mounds of muscles formed when stretched. He was always seen
sitting in a cart pulled by a bull. He was traversing alone with his bull from field to field, an aimless
wanderer. That changed when she met the stunning woman Ading on the road. He already liked
Ading for the first time he saw her. He was engrossed by her innate qualities, following her
surreptitiously from the inside. He might have wanted to talk to her the first time but was afraid it
was not the right time. He was apprehensive at first if he would talk to Ading, scared of what lies
ahead: an opportunity or drawback. As time marched onward, he had grown to love her in the
end. (He lowered the bucket…fell in a cluster over his forehead) Manong was a traditional binata
“torpe” (1. He turned to watch the graceful figure beneath the jar until it vanished. 2. He watched
her with a lowered head as she approached and felt a difficulty in continuing to eat.)

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 CHARACTER ANALYSIS
ADING

She was a young, sweet and fresh woman that wore a kerchief above her head. Ading always
held a red jar using her head, She also had a seductive body curve from head to foot. She
wore a homespun bodice of light red cloth with small white checks. Her skirt was also
homespun and showed a pattern of white checks with narrow stripes of yellow and red. With
both hands she held by the mouth a large, apparently empty, water jug, the cool red of which
blended well with her dress. She was barefoot. She was just a strange, mysterious woman
until Manong came in the midst of the road. She desired to fill the bucket as a surrogate of the
spilled bucket of Manong. Ading fancied for Manong to come into their house and spend the
night away. When they finally met at the well, for the third time after seeing each other, they
talked and found out that it was easy striking up a conversation. Upon knowing Manong, and
for his chivalrous character, she offered him to stay at their house as a sign of gratitude,
traditional dalaga---hospitable (… the girl spoke: ‘Manong, why don’t you come to our home
and bring your animal with you? There is a shade you can sleep, though our house is very
poor.’)
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 LITERARY DEVICES

This story was like most other stories that had a sense of imagery upon view
when the author showed us or let us feel the intense tension between ading
and manong ('' The woman was described from head to toe with such detail as
the man looked from a distance. The man followed the woman to where she
went and led him to the well under a big mango tree. He watched her as she
filled the jar and placed it on top of her head. The woman leaves and the man
goes to the well and gathers water for his bull and himself while still thinking
of the woman.”)

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 LITERARY DEVICES
SYMBOLISM
HEAT
The heat represents an implicit burning passion between Manong and Ading.
Attracted at first by their sexy and brawny external appearances, and once
they had a chance to talk, internally as well.

(“ He lowered the bucket with his back to her, and she had time to take in the tallness of him, the
breadth of his shoulders, the sinewy strength of his legs. Down below in the small of his back, two
parallel ridges of rope-like muscle stuck out against the wet shirt. As he hauled up the bucket, muscles
rippled all over his body. His hair, which was wavy, cut short behind but long in front, fell in a cluster
over his forehead.”)

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 LITERARY DEVICES
SYMBOLISM
WATER
Manong and Ading both had wet clothing moments in the story. The result of this
augmented the increasing attraction for each other. One when the woman soaked her
bosom’s blouse and it became see-through. The other is when the man pulled the rope of
his bucket from the well, his muscles rippled from all parts of his body. It served as a
seduction, enhancing their physical appearances.
(“She tilted the brimful jar to remove part of the water. One hand on the rim, the other supporting the
bottom, she began to raise it to her head. She knelt on one kneeresting, for a moment, the jar onto her
head, getting to her feet at the same time. But she staggered a little and water splashed down on her
breast. The single bodice instantly clung to her bosom molding the twin hillocks of her breasts warmly
brown through the wet cloth. One arm remained uplifted, holding the jar, while the other shook the
clinging cloth free of her drenched flesh.”)

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 CONCLUSION
The characters in the story symbolize the Filipino people before particularly the dalagang Filipina and
a binata from a rural area. The man in the story or Manong is the one striving to look for work with his
pet bull. The woman is hospitable because she invited Manong to their house. The story is describing
the typical way a dalagang Filipina met a binata; which is comparable to our generation where the
traditional way of meeting someone is different. The faced-paced lifestyle in urban areas is far from the
simplicity living in rural areas. Manong treated Ading with respect and kindness. Nowadays, we
misinterpret love and attraction. Being attracted is the reverse of being in love, which you will
experience for the shortest period of time. Similar to the story, events take an unexpected turn. A man
spotted the woman in the middle of the summer and had the opportunity to speak with her, and he
had never experienced anything like it before. When comparing the personalities, it is evident that
men have greater physical prowess and the ability to seduce women, whereas women make every
effort to be strong but ultimately fall short. On the other hand, the overt sensuality in the story also
alludes to the flight of fantasy that physical attraction may cause in the brains of young people. The
fact that the two were complete strangers and couldn't possibly vouch for one another's moral
character; their intimacy leaves an unsettling aftertaste and emphasizes the hormonally-driven
euphoria of youth that frequently trumps good judgment and reason. We must control the sensation
and our feelings through to the person, But yet both of them felt the same way to each other.

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 Thank you for
listening!

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