Eastern Samar State University

College of Education
Borongan City

LITERARY CRITICISM ON

Rice
(short story)
BY: MANUEL ARGUILLA

Submitted by: SOBREMONTE, ROBERTO JR. C

Submitted to: Prof. EMMANUEL ARAGO

Date: January 31, 2017

 Writers background

Manuel E. Arguilla was born on June 17,1911 in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La Union

to parents Crisanto Arguilla, a farmer, and Margarita Estabillo, a potter. Their
mediocre living was not a hindrance for Manuel to attain his dreams
especially in literature.
He finished his elementary school in his hometown and his high school in San
Fernando where he became the editor-in-chief of his school’s newsletter, the
La Union Lab. He was also an athlete where he became champion in swimming
events he joined. He entered the University of the Philippines where he joined
the UP Writer’s Club and later became the president and the editor of the UP
Apprentice. He finished education in 1933. He married Lydia Villanueva, a
fellow artist and writer and lived in Ermita, Manila. Upon graduation he
practice his profession in University of Manila. He later joined the Bureau of
Public Welfare where he was the editor of welfare advocate, the bureau
publication.
As a writer, his famous works were compiled in a book entitled How My
brother Leon brought home a wife (and other stories ) published by
Philippines Book Guild in 1990. These stories were written when he was 22-
29 yrs. Old. This collection of stories won first prize in short category during
the first Common Wealth Contest in 1940. In October 1944, he was captured,
tortured and executed by the Japanese Army at Fort Santiago.
Summary
An afternoon on a hut with a Tamarind Tree beside it Pablo, an old farmer,
came from the farm and unhitched his carabao upon its empty sled and began
to feed it with a zacate. Then he called his wife, Sebia, from their hut but no
one answers him. He goes to the other neighborhood to ask if they’ve seen
Sebia and his children but Osiang, their neighbor, seems not hearing what
Mang Pablo is asking and give a question back regarding his husband Andres,
later sometime Osiang told Mang Pablo that his wife and three children went
to the Creek for some snails.
Mang Pablo reminisce the scenario later that morning when he with the
several other tenants driven with their sleds to the house of senora to borrow
some grains but as they go changes come, their usual tersiohan system on
borrowing became takipan meaning the amount that they borrow becomes
double at harvest time. His co-tenants refuse for this is too much and can’t
even know if they can pay it exactly at the time given. In the end everyone
leave with an empty sled and will come home without any rice to eat.
Then, Osiang broke the silence asking if he had already cook their rice and
offered him pieces of coal. When he is about to go back home Andres came
and give a sign telling he must wait for him. Andres- dark, broad and squat
man, wearing a printed camisa de chino appeared asking Mang Pablo if he is
coming with them, Mang Pablo advice him not to continue this because they
will commit stealing but Andres together with other men is desperate.
As he turned, he had seen his wife and three children and was accompanied
with a man. The man told him that they are fishing in the fields but Sebia
disagreed and told him that they are just gathering some snails. Then, the
watchman told Mang Pablo that they must pay five cavans. Sebia asking for
the rice but Mang Pablo told him that there is no rice while looking in his
hungry children seeing weakness and pain then he asks for his bolo joining
Andres and together they walked to the house of Eli.
  CHARACTERS
Pablo – an old farmer in Hacienda Consuelo
Sebia – Pablo’s wife
Senora – the hard-hearted old woman in Hacienda Consuelo
Andres – Pablo’s co-farmer
Osiang – Andres wife
. Elis – Pablo’s co-tenant

 SETTING

Hacienda Consuelo – rice field

 PLOT

Introduction – At first Pablo, an old farmer has a carabao with him, in which the sled
of that carabao is empty. Then, he called his wife and children but no one answered
him. He later asked Osiang, their neighbor, she said that Pablo’s wife and children
went to gather some snails.

Rising action – Pablo remembered the other tenants that went to Senora to borrow
some rice. Senora offered a deal: the tenant will pay double of what they are going to
borrow from her at harvest time. The tenants refuse Senora’s offer because they
thought that her offer was too much. In the end everyone leave with an empty sled,
no rice to eat

Climax – When Pablo was about to go home, Andres, Osiang’s husband came and
give sign that he must wait for him and asked Pablo if he is coming with them. Pablo
is a person that values honesty that’s why he advised Andres not to continue the act
of stealing the rice.

Falling action – Pablo saw his wife and children with a man that insists Sebia and his
children are fishing in the fields. But in reality, they are actually gathering some
snails. The man also insists that Pablo should pay five cavans of rice. His wife asked
 for rice but has nothing to give. Pablo saw his family suffering in hunger and pain. In
the end, he asks for his bolo and joined Andres.

 CONFLICT
Man vs. Society
Pablo has been an honest husband to his wife and a good father to his children,
providing all the things that he can provide for his family. Andres, his neighbor
gives him inimical ideas of stealing rice. At first Pablo didn’t want to steal rice. But
after seeing his family suffer in hunger and pain, he then ask for his bolo and joined
Andres.

 POINT OF VIEW
Omniscient point of view
The reader knows about the story. Everything is revealed to the reader except to
the characters.

 THEME
“ That even the righteous man can do anything for his family’s sake”

 SYMBOLS

Rice – hope for starving people

Empty-sled – symbolize their emptiness on food
Carabao – represents people who work hard everyday
Snails – people who can’t go over the mud
Trucks -heavy stealer of their foods

REFLECTION:
People are driven to do things they do not want because of the situation they are in. They are
forced to live that way for they do not have any options. The story primarily emphasizes the
class relation in the Philippines. The poor are the oppressed ones, the pit of the society. The
rich are the oppressors, the ones responsible for the suffering of the poor. This story also
emphasized the relationship between the test and reality, it depicts a righteous man who is
able to accomplish amazing things for his family’s sake. It also described a situation about
parents who will do just about anything for their family. Seen in many literary work of
Filipinos writers, this scenario is also very evident in real life even in our modernized world.