English Periodical Exam


English Periodical Exam Notes: 


Local Color and Analysis of “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife”

2.1


What is Local color?


  • Local color refers to the use of specific details in a story that reflect the characteristics, culture, and traditions of a particular place.



Elements of Local Color:


1. Setting - Time, place, or location where the story takes place.



2. Dialect/Language - Use of local language and speech patterns.



3. Customs and Traditions - Representation of cultural practices, way of life, and local practices.



4. Characterization - Depiction of people shaped by the local environment, customs, and beliefs.



5. Values and Beliefs - Norms, traditions, and moral codes that reflect the culture of a community.

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


About the Author:


  • Manuel E. Arguilla (1911-1944) was a renowned Filipino writer, patriot, and hero known for his stories about rural life in the Philippines.


  • Born in Barrio Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union, Arguilla’s countryside upbringing influenced his writing, which vividly portrays Filipino customs, landscapes, and provincial life.


  • His stories often focus on themes like family, love, and the simplicity of rural living.



Theme of the Story:


  • The story explores themes of acceptance and adaptability in the face of cultural and environmental differences.



Main Characters:


1. Leon (Noel) - The elder brother, returning home with his city-bred wife, Maria, to introduce her to his family.



2. Maria - Leon’s wife, a beautiful and gentle woman from the city who is kind, understanding, and eager to be accepted by Leon’s rural family.



3. Baldo - Leon’s younger brother and the story's narrator. Baldo is observant, thoughtful, and curious about how Maria will adapt to their rural life.



4. Tatay - Leon and Baldo’s father, who tests Maria’s adaptability and sincerity through Baldo’s observations.



5. Nanay - Leon and Baldo's mother, who is mentioned but does not appear. She represents the warmth of home and family.






2.2 Philippine Literature



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Noli Me Tangere by Dr. Jose Rizal


About the Author:

  • Full Name: Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda


  • Birth Date: June 19, 1861


  • Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna


  • Profession: Filipino nationalist, writer, revolutionary, and polymath


  • Fields of Expertise: Excelled in various fields, including medicine


  • Notable Works: Noli Me Tangere (published in 1887)


  • Death: Executed on December 30, 1896




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Plot Summary of Noli Me Tangere


1. Exposition:


Main Character: Juan Crisóstomo Ibarra y Magsalin, a mestizo Filipino


Setting: Ibarra returns to the Philippines after studying in Europe for seven years.


Initial Events: He is welcomed by his friend, Captain Tiago, at a reunion dinner. Ibarra, unaware of the changes in his homeland, is shocked by the current state of affairs.




2. Rising Action:


Conflict: During the dinner, Father Dámaso insults Ibarra, despite having been considered a family friend.


Discovery: A family friend, Señor Guevara, informs Ibarra that his father died in prison, wrongfully accused and slandered by enemies with Father Dámaso’s involvement.


Decision: Instead of revenge, Ibarra chooses to honor his father's legacy peacefully by planning to build a public school. However, he learns that Father Dámaso interferes with education.




3. Climax:


Turning Point: Ibarra is falsely accused of rebellion against the Spanish government, facing execution under Father Dámaso’s influence, just as his father did.




4. Falling Action:


Escape: With the help of his loyal friend Elias, Ibarra manages to escape and goes into hiding





2.3 Continuation of Noli Me Tangere


Vocabulary


adj/rubicund - having a ruddy complexion; high colored


n/morisqueta - a mexican dish that consists of cooked rice. It may contain cubes of adobera, ranchero or fresh cheese which melts.


n/chagrin - distress or embarrassed at having failed or humiliated


adj/indolent - wanting to avoid activity; lazy


n/coadjutor - a bishop appointed to assist a diocesan  bishop, and often also designated as his successor.


n/apothegm - a concise saying or expression; an aphorism


n/Noli Me Tangere - latin phrase that means “Touch Me Not”


2.4 Philippine Literature


Evaluation Analysis in Literary Works


The Witch:


  • Minggay - main character

  • Mingay’s pets - sigbin and wakwak

  • Tio Sabelo - favorite uncle and head teacher of a barrio




Types of Perspective or Points of view:




  1. Individual or personal- this focuses on the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of a single character

  2. Communal or societal - represents the collective belief, values, and norms of a specific group, community or society as a whole, rather than personal experiences


Key features of Communal or Societal:


  • Collective experiences - how a group of people is affected by social, political, or cultural forces, rather than a single person’s point of view.


  • Societal Norms and Values - societal structures, traditions, and expectations shape the actions, beliefs, and fates of characters.


  1. Social Commentary - critique or examines broader societal issues


  1. Multiple Perspectives - provides insight into how a society or group operates as a whole


  1. Global or World - affects the humanity on a broad, international, or universal scale; interconnectedness of people, cultures and nations


  1. Biblical - influenced by or directly affects teachings, principles or naaratives from the Bible.


Themes Present in a Short Story:


  • Superstition vs reality

  • Social Isolation

  • Coming of Age


2.5 Cause and effect


  • In composition, cause and effect is a method of paragraph or essay development

  • It can be organized in either chronological or reverse chronological order

  • Points can be presented in terms of emphasis


  • Common types of writing in English, it is necessary to master

  • Cause and effect essay are generally organized by problems, outcomes, and possible solutions


Writing Techniques:


  • Brainstorming - helps you think creatively about a cause - and effect type topic in order to come up with something that you truly want to write about

  • Writing as an Outline - provides a map for your writing

  • Cause and Effect Language - vary you sentence structures for a smoother read and use plenty of evidence to write a convincing essay.




Cause Language:


  • There are several reasons for…

  • The main factors are…

  • [cause] leads to or might lead to [effect]

  • The first cause is…

  • This often results in…




Effect language:


  • Before [cause]… Now [effect]…

  • One of the results/outcomes of [cause] is… Another is…

  • A primary effect of [cause] is… 

  • [effect] often occurs as a consequence of [cause]




Linking Languages:


Some linking languages are: also, thus, too, therefore, consequently, and, however.


2.6 Types of Conflict


What is conflict?


Conflict is a literary device that presents the struggle between two sides due to a disagreement in values, desires, motivations, and such.


Why are Conflicts Important?


Conflicts are essential in every story as it is the driving force of the narrative and builds narrative tension, portraying complex concepts that are interlaced into the story, and presents a deeper look into the character’s feelings, motivations and values.


Types of Conflict


Character vs Character - also known as man vs man, involves a character struggling against each other


ex. Wolverine vs Deadpool


Character vs Nature - a character faces resistance from a natural force; this can mean the weather, wilderness, or a natural disaster


ex. Titanic


Character vs Society - an external conflict that occurs in literature when the protagonist is placed in opposition with society, the government or a societal norm of some kind.


ex. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (sidenote: do any of y’all still remember this movie?)