Short Stories How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife Summary & Analysis
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Analysis
Moral Lesson
The central more of the story is the ability to sacrifice things for people you love. Maria was brought up in a life of comforts in the city. However, she loved Leon truly and was committed to adapt to his lifestyle.
She was willing to uproot her entire life and give up her privileges to settle in a village. She was also loving and caring towards his family, becoming a part of the family seamlessly.
Plot
The father, head of the family, designs a tricky but genuine test for her to witness the reality of the village and in the end, she passes it with flying colours.
Structure
The story begins with the couple's arrival in the village. They are greeted by Leon's brother Baldo who brings their bullock cart to take them home.
He changes the normal route for a tougher and rougher route so that she may have no doubts about the tough reality and massive change of lifestyle that she has undergone fir their marriage.
The next part describes their journey through the Waig and the fields and how much Maria and Leon are eager to settle in their new roles. She is especially excited to relish the change.
They reach home and are welcomed by their mother and sister. Their father waits in his room to hear from Baldo about the journey and regarding the conduct of the new bride. In the end, the family accepts Maria as its new member and Maria accepts them as her new home.
Values
The story highlights the value of togetherness and family. It speaks about loving and caring for each other. This entails and necessitates the ability and willingness to sacrifice selfish desires or even comforts to make your loved ones happy.
The story praises the ability to adapt to new circumstances and being positive to change and growth. It talks about overcoming hardships and fears and ultimately in finding peace and happiness in each other's betterment and well being.
Another message of the story is not judging people based on appearances and giving them space to express themselves and accept them for their differences. It also celebrates a conservative and simple lifestyle over luxurious and ostentatious ways.
Summary
Leon and his wife Maria are about to return to Leon's village after getting married. They had met in the city and Maria has never lived in a village. They are greeted by Baldo, Leon's younger sibling, as their horse carriage stops outside the village.
Baldo welcomes the new member of the family. He is impressed by her beauty and soft feature. He observes her nice fragrance and radiant smile. He ties their bull, named Labang, to the cart and Leon hauls their trunk on it.
After going a little further, Baldo takes the reins and takes a sudden route change into the rocky road of Waig and surrounding fields. Leon enquiries about the change of route and Baldo assure him that he is only following their father's orders.
Baldo and Leon both question Maria about her views about their village, fields and rocky roads. She is enthralled by the natural beauty and simple lifestyle. She condemns the sheer number of vehicles and noise in the city.
She loves the starry and clear skies over the lush fields. She and Leon even start to sing a song that Leon was taught by his father about the sowed fields under clear skies. They meet a couple of people after coming out of the fields but not many as most people avoid using the fields after dark.
They finally reach their house and are welcomed by Leon's mother and sister. They are smiling and excited. Leon enquiries about his father who is in his room struggling with leg pain (injured in the revolution).
Baldo goes to tie Labang and when he returns he finds Maria talking and crying with his mother and sister. His hears his father's call and goes to meet him.
His father questions about Maria's conduct and her behaviour throughout their journey to the house. It was test designed to see if she can adjust and accept the life of the village and make it her home.
Baldo reassures him about her live for Leon and commitment to their marriage. He confirms his observation that Maria was ready to embrace their house as her home.
Their conversation is disturbed as the new couple enters to meet with the father. Baldo leaves the room giving them some space with the head of the family.
