FORMALIST ANALYSIS

Angelou R. Garcia 

Dr. Ines Inocencio 

EM 113 Literary Theory in Teaching Literature 

July 19, 2019 

How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife: Formalist Criticism 

Manuel E. Arguilla , the author of “How my Brother Leon brought home a wife”, was known for 

writing using his local colors. He is an Ilocano writer, martyr and patriot of his homeland Nagrebcan, 

Bauang, La Union. His story was characterized by the use of his language that appeals to its surrounding 

that brings life to his works. Through the characteristic created by his works, Formalist Criticism becomes 

evidently visible within his short stories specifically “How my brother Leon brought home a wife.” Within 

this theory, it is believed that the literature is an organic entity wherein it exist by itself only and no 

attachments needed. The same with Arguilla’s work, he have written his works in a way that all the essential 

information of the story can be found within the text itself. 

The story “How my brother Leon brought home a wife” becomes an example text for the Formalist 

Criticism. It focuses on the characters, Baldo, Leon, Maria and their cow Labang on how they interacted 

and talk in the story discussing its plot of a proviciano bringing up his girl from the city to his homeland. 

The character of Baldo narrated how his brother Leon brought a girl from a city, Maria, to their home in La 

Union. While on their way home, Baldo described their trip with Leon and Maria and how Maria and Leon 

interacts on their journey. Another character also in the story was Labang, who is always present in each 

scenes from the story as the family’s cow. Reaching home, Maria was able to meet Leon’s family especially 

his father. The theme of the story focuses in describing the characters’ culture and values even there is a 

difference within the Leon and Baldo as they are from a barrio and Maria who is from the city. Although 

they have differences they portray different values such as Baldo as an obedient one, Maria as a supportive 

wife with his responsible husband Leon and their hardworking cow Labang. 

The story happened in Nabrecan, Bauang, La Union, the homeland of the author. With the chosen 

setting of the author, the culture, trademarks and values of the place was one of the highlights in the story. 

While Baldo describes their journey way home, the author becomes very specific in giving the plot of the 

story. The story focuses on its characters; Baldo, Leon, Maria, Labang and the parents which all is present 

in the scenario. Within its few characters of the story, all of the them contributed it its plot, The dialogues 

between the characters shows their conversation during their journey. Most of the time, it is Leon and Maria 

talk with each other and how Maria finds her new home. At the same time, the narrator, Baldo interacts 

with the other characters including Labang narrated how they went home together. Baldo also discusses 

how he sees Leon and Maria together, especially Maria as a new person in their barrio. The actions made 

by the characters are just specific to their lines itself, on how they went home together. 

Through closed reading the text, the elements of the story are visibly seen on it. The choice of 

words of the author reveals the use of imagery, simile and other figurative language especially land of La 

Union that is being described. There is a presence of imagery and simile in the narration and line created 

by the author. Every scenario was described vividly that creates the image of the life in La Union. It shows 

how his way of writing was very specific and enough for its text interpretation, which is one of the main 

characteristic of a Formalist Theory. 

EM 113 Literary Theory in Teaching Literature 1




July 19, 2019 

Harvest by Loreto Paras Sulit: Cultural Criticism 

Cultural Criticism is one of the literary theory that can be seen in the short story, Harvest, by Loreto 

Paras Sulit. She was known for her English Language stories and considered as one of the great pioneers 

in writing. Her work “Harvest” shows characteristics of the literary theory, Cultural Criticism. The story 

revolves on how Fabian was envy with his brother, Vidal. Although it is the theme of the story, the Cultural 

Criticism is apparent mostly in the actions taken within the setting by the characters of the story specifically 

in their harvesting moments. 

Vidal and Fabian are brothers that takes palay stalks. Fabian felt envy with his brother’s 

characteristic. Vidal is a strong and hardworking man while Fabian is an envious brother who is married 

with Tinay and their child Trining. During their harvest time, Fabian talked about why Vidal should marry 

Millia for their five carabaos but Vidal still insist that he should not do such thing for carabaos. Instead, 

Vidal noticed a beautiful girl known as Miss Francia, who molded men out of clays. With Vidals’ beautiful 

and strong arms, he also caught the attention of Miss Francia. He was asked to be a model for a clay work. 

The next day, it was Fabian who went to Miss Francia saying that Vidal will not be able to do it because he 

already had a child in accident to Millia, a reason why he could not go to the city anymore. Upon going 

home, Vidal decided to marry Millia also as he watched and wonder why it takes Fabian so long to watch 

his arms. 

The setting of the story happened in the palayan, batalan of Miss Francia and Fabian’s house. 

Within the setting itself you can identify already how the culture is depicted in the story. The events of the 

story that revolved within the palayan and batalan also tackles and give lines portraying Filipino culture, 

belief and traditions. The characters of the story created the image and beliefs of the Filipinos and their 

culture. Certain superstitious beliefs were also stated in the plot of the story. One good example is how 

Filipinos believed that the dust from the wings of a moth will cause blindness if it will reach someone’s 

eyes. It is also given in the story where people of Philippines believes in the definitions behind each mole 

that they have. In the line “Why, you have a little mole on your lips. That means you are very talkative” 

contains the presence of the belief on the mole of a person in the story. Another tradition in the text is that 

how they have marriage for wealth. It is one of the belief and characteristic of the Filipinos in the past 

wherein they will marry someone who have the money, land or any proprerty as to be part of someone’s 

property also. This event was almost the same, or to be considered as a fixed marriage because it is not a 

marriage out of love. The story also created vivid images of the Philippines and its place. The batalan was 

described by the author in story has drawn an image not only of the place but also the usual things done by 

the Filipinos inside a batalan. It is where the family have their home and where Miss Francia do her clay 

molding. The characters in the story bring out the Filipino dream to live and work in the city. It is a very 

timely and real scenario in the Philippines where Filipinos really seek and dream to live and work in the 

city. The characters, plot, ideas and setting created by the authors are associated in the Cultural Criticism 

wherein she created and depicted the Filipino life and dream as part of its own culture. 





July 19, 2019 

Noli Me Tangere: Historical Criticism Theory 

Noli Me Tangere has become an eye opener for the Filipinos in the past. It flared up the the 

revolutionary side of each Filipino to fight for their liberty. As the book was written by Jose Rizal, his 

image and life was reflected on it. The story has served as a national identity for the Filipinos where 

someone can mirror the history of the Philippines. With the gained characteristic and the created legacy by 

the novel, it has been an example for Historical Criticism Theory. 

The novel tackles the life and struggles encountered by the main character Juan Crisostomo Ibarra 

especially to Father Damaso. Ibarra is a young man who studied in Europe and has been back in the 

Philippines. In a party, Padre Damaso slandered Ibarra. He had shown patience to the man despite of its 

action but loose restrain when insulted by his father’s memory. Ibarra stabbed Padre Damaso to impudence. 

It cause too much sorrow to his fiancée, Maria Clara, but he was soon released due to the intervention by 

his lover. It costs Maria Clara to marry Linares which is interpreted by Ibarra as a betrayal. With the flood 

of unfortunate events, Ibarra was excommunicated but nullified with the help of an Archbishop. Still, he 

was accused of an incident and Father Salvi manipulated the evidences and events that caused Ibarra to be 

imprisoned. Although it is how the story is stated in the novel, it has his own story that even in the past 

people was able to identify. 

Reading within the lines will not give the reader the exact idea of the story. The message and 

context lies behind the story and its author. It is said that the novel is a reflection of Rizal’s life. It becomes 

historically significant to the Filipinos that it has been included together with its sequel El Filibusterismo 

to the lessons taken in the Filipino subject. The Historical Criticism interlies within the novel of Rizal. The 

novel serves as the Filipino identity as Rizal tried to hide and reveal at the same time the Spanish 

government and political affairs to its country. The characters itself represent the life of the author within 

the Spansh era. Ibarra represents Rizal, with their same ideas in life, Maria Clara as Rizals’ sweetheart 

Padre Damaso and other antagonists as a representation in the Spanish colonization. 

With the text created by Rizal he was able to influence and worst awaken the hungry men of the 

Philippines as they tried to loosen up the chains from the Spanish government. As they untie and unlock 

those chains, one of the key that they have used in the novel Noli Me Tangere that also caused death to its 

author. Still Rizal died full of honour and dignity for its own country and beliefs. As Rizal figuratively 

revealed the abuse, corruption and sufferings brought by the Spaniards, it cause too much noise for the 

Filipino identity and history. Rizal depicted nationality in the novel by emphasizing the qualities of 

Filipinos: devotion of a Filipina and her influence to a man’s life, the deep sense of gratitude and the solid 

common sense of the Filipinos under the Spanish Regime. It created a mark within the mind and heart of 

the Filipino as they have explored the history and culture of their country and learned to fight for their own 

liberty. 





July 19, 2019 

Tell Tale Heart: Psychological Criticism 

With Poe’s work of art, “Tell Tale Heart” is one of his work that made him famous. Edgar Allan 

Poe was known for his grotesque and psychological theme of his texts. He was known for his murders, 

premature burials, mental problems and madness. It is also an evident why his text “Tell Tale Heart” was 

identified as one of his works that features psychological criticism. 

The story started with the narrator’s obsession to murder the old man. The man shows desire to kill 

the old man while he tried to say that he is not mad at the same time; it is just he finds the old man blue 

eyes terrifying. The narrator finds the right time to kill the old man. While hearing and being paranoid with 

the heartbeat of the old man, the narrator pursue his plan, killing the old man. He hid the body of the old 

man below the floor boards trying not to leave any traces of his blood. Unfortunately, the policemen arrived 

and knocked on his house due to the shriek heard by the neighborhood. The man tried to talk innocently 

and calmly but he is also caught with his own paranoia in the situation. He heard the thumping of the old 

man’s heart, paranoid with the situation, he confessed about what he have done. 

The “Tell Tale Heart” shows almost all of the characteristics of a psychological criticism. The 

narrator’s actions and ideas shows what comes to his id, ego and superego. His id, desires to kill the old 

man because of the fear with his blue pale eyes. The narrator described it as “It is impossible to say how 

first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. 

Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For 

his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture --a pale blue 

eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees --very gradually - 

-I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.” He really shows 

his desires for his gold or the old man’s death. Its ego was shown when he killed and fulfilled his desire to 

murder somebody and to face his fear. Yet his superego or his conscience knocks on his mind especially 

when he assumed that he heard the thumping of old man’s heart while he is talking with the policemen. It 

resulted him to confess the crime that he desired and planned long time ago. The narrator also shown one 

of the Freud’s ideas shown in the Psychological Criticism which is the denial of the character with this 

intentions and actions. When the man said “TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been 

and am; but why will you say that I am mad?”, he denied that he is mad yet described it as nervousness 

with the situation. The man in the story denied the fact the he is a mad man that resulted with his actions in 

the story. The conflict with the psyche of the character in the story is his paranoia with the old man’s blue 

eyes and his repressed desire to kill somebody. Freud’s ideas and patterns were visible with every Edgar 

Allan Poe’s stories, made it psychological with its theme and features. 





July 19, 2019 

REFERENCES: 

https://www.slideshare.net/zpmmiller/historical-criticism-main-questions 

https://www.tagaloglang.com/noli-tangere-english-summary/ 

https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/7661/Literary%20Critica%20Theri 

es%20Condensed.pdf 

http://jesmarpacis.weebly.com/uploads/1/6/6/8/16683740/how_my_brother_leon_brought_home_a_wife. 

pdf 

https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/7661/Literary%20Critical%20Theo 

ries%20Condensed.pdf 

https://www.revolvy.com/page/Loreto-Paras%252DSulit 

https://prezi.com/sbusxkzwskqc/the-harvest-by-loreto-paras-sulit/ 

https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/7661/Literary%20Critical%20Theo 

ries%20Condensed.pdf 

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/poestories/section6/ 

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/poe/telltale.html

FORMALIST ANALYSIS

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