Ildefonso, Princess A.
Survey of Philippine Literature in English
BSED English 2a EL 109
ANNOTATED READING LIST
“The Small Key” by Paz Latorena
Latorena, P. (1927). The Small Key. Retrieved December 29, 2018, from
https://panitikan.ph/2014/06/06/paz-latorena/
The Small Key, a short story written by Filipino writer Paz Latorena, is a bittersweet
story of a farmer’s second wife named Soledad tormented by uncertainties of her own making.
Really, it is a simple short story, but in it throbs the heart of a farmer’s land and life. Soledad
observes her husband’s movements and comes up with jaundiced meanings for them, such as his
act of carrying a small key that opens a trunk filled with the belongings of his first wife. She was
not given that key but chanced upon it and, instead of letting the past stay where it should be, she
opened the trunk. Like a Pandora’s box, the result does not bode well on the married couple’s
supposedly happy relationship.
“Zita” by Arturo B. Rutor
Rutor, A. Zita. (1930). Retrieved from https://www.sushidog.com/bpss/stories/zita.htm
The story started when Turong took Mr. Reteche via a small sailboat to the island of
Anayat. Mr. Reteche taught there and Zita, who happened to be one of his students, fell in love
with her teacher. Don Eliodoro’s offered, Mr. Reteche was a weird person according to turong.
One day, Mr. Reteche accepted Don Eliodoro’s request to teach Zita how to be a lady. He
successfully taught her and as days passed, Turong handed him a letter which he tore into pieces.
After that, Zita asked him why he tore it and here plied that he will understand soon. First
forward to the ending as Mr. Reteche was about time leave, Zita received a letter from Turong.
She tore the letter, only to try to pieces it all back together, crying as she understood. What Mr.
Reteche told her before. It took place in a province as Mr. Reteche was a teaching Zita on how to
become a city lady. The story had a deep meaning in it, for the two parts where the characters
tore letters were crucial elements of the story. It was talking about the love affair that the teacher
is having with the provincial. With those two parts, we can describe them as both dynamic
characters for they realized something upon receiving the letter. Mr. Reteche also changed in his
mysterious wats as he got to know Zita. The two main characters also had conflicts with each
other.
The House on Zapote Street by Quijano de Manila (Nick Joaquin)
Joaquin, N. (1927). The House on Zapote Street. Retrieved from https://www.idealreads.com/the-
house-of-zapote-street/
The story centers about a man named Leonardo Quintangon who married a woman
named Lydia Cabiding. Lydia who grew up on a strict household, lived her life under her father’s
rules. The newlywed couple spent their first two months in Lydia’s father house in Zapote street,
unable to have a honeymoon or alone time together. Lydia always sleep with her mother at night
due to her father’s alibis. Leonardo could not bear his father-in-law’s unreasonable attitude
anymore so he left the house and planned to run away with Lydia. Days pass they came back to
the house by their “father’s” request to see her one and only daughter. The battle of Lydia for her
freedom and Leonardo’s battle for the acceptance of his father-in-law ends with a tragic death,
murdered by their own “father” whom then after committed suicide.
Servant Girl by Estrella D. Alfon
Alfon E. (1937). Servant Girl. Retrieved from https://www.sushidog.com/bpss/stories/servant.htm
This is a story of a humble good-looking house helper named Rosa and her adult
infatuation. Rosa is portrayed as a physically and verbally abused servant girl to an obnoxious
but at times kind mistress. Rosa fantasized about the cochero whom she named to be "Angel"
who later-on known to be as Pedro. She imagined him as different from other men, more gallant,
gentler, and her rescuer from her miserable life with her mistress. Angel became Rosa's hope and
embodiment of desire to be free from servitude. Her admirer Sancho on the other hand was
rough and rude towards her and violently hurt her. She ran from her mistress' house and Sancho's
boorish arms. She longed to find her "Angel". But her savior does not really exist. Angel was just
a figure that she invented. In the end, Rosa just accepts her fortune as a miserable servant.
Instead, the man she believed to be her rescuer, was the one who returned her back to her pitiful
life.
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel E. Arguilla
Arguilla, M. (1940). How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife. Retrieved from
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/tagalog/literature/Short%20Stories/How%20My%20Brother
%20Leon%20Brought%20Home%20A%20Wife.htm
“How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” is a short story written by the highly
acclaimed Filipino writer Manuel E. Arguilla. This award-winning story is a a long-standing
favorite in Philippine Literature. The story started when Leon and his younger brother were both
waiting for the arrival of Leon’s wife, Maria, riding a carretela. As Baldo saw his older brother’s
wife, he described her as lovely, tall, and beautiful. He narrated their journey to Nagrebcan, their
hometown. Leon wondered why Baldo drove them to the Waig instead on the Camino Real.
Baldo answered that he drove them to the Waig because their father told him to follow the Waig.
The Waig route served as a test for the wife to see is she could really live in a province which
was very different in a life in a city where she lived. While travelling, Maria described that place
of Leon as clean, and free of dust and smoke. Maria admitted of having some fears if the father
of Leon would not accept her to be his daughter-in-law because she may be not able to survive
the life in the province. When they got home, Leon’s family talked to Maria. Baldo and his father
has a conversation about what happened while they travelling. The father asked Baldo if Maria
was afraid in their place. Baldo answered that Maria was not afraid instead, she enjoyed the
journey.
