“Rice”

By: Manuel Arguilla

AUTHOR AND THEIR BACKGROUND

● Manuel Estabillo Arguilla was born on June 17, 1911 in Nagrebcan, Bauang, La
Union to parents Crisanto Arguilla, a farmer and Margarita Estabillo, a potter.
● He was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr.
● He married Lydia Villanueva - talented English writer and they lived in Ermita,
Manila.
● He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Leon Brought
Home a Wife," the main story in the collection How My Brother Leon Brought Home a
Wife and Other Short Stories, which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary
Contest in 1940.
● He studied at the University of the Philippines, finished his BS in Education in
1933.
● He became a creative writing teacher at the University of Manila and later worked at
the Bureau of Public Welfare as managing editor of the bureau's publication Welfare
Advocate until 1943.
● He secretly organized a guerrilla intelligence unit against the Japanese.
● On August 5, 1944, he was captured and tortured by the Japanese army at Fort
Santiago and was beheaded.
● Died on August 30, 1944 during World War II. At present, his remains lie within the
Manila North Cemetery.

CHARACTERS
● Pablo - an old farmer, the protagonist
● Serial - Pablo's Wife
● Andres - Pablo's co-farmer and much younger than Pablo
● Osiang - Andre's Wife
● Elis - landlord
● Senora - owner of the hacienda
● Sabel - Pablo and Sebia's daughter, six years old
● 2 boys - Sons of Pablo, older than Sabel
● Man escorted Sebia - Field watchman
● Encargado
● Tenants

SETTINGS
Hacienda Consuelo - Rice field

PLOT SUMMARY / SYNOPSIS

1. Exposition
Exposition acts as the story’s introduction to its readers. In this story, the exposition
tells us the story of our protagonist, Pablo. He is a hard-working rice farmer who has a family
and they live in poverty. We are also introduced to the supporting characters Osiang, their
neighbor, and Andres, a man who seeks to regain what has been taken from them. The
normal for these characters is that they all live in Hacienda Consuelo working for their
landlords, the Elis.

2. Rising Action
The rising action element of the story starts when Mang Pablo and several other
tenants rode to the house of the senora that morning, with their hard-earned cavanes of rice.
They expected the typical arrangements when they arrived, but when they left, they were not
even sure if there will be a next batch of rice. The outrageous demands of the Senora and
the owners were simply too much for the tenants, and to batter home the demands of the
owners, they even threatened the poor tenants with blackmail and starvation. Pablo then
approached Andres about the latter’s plans to ambush the trucks as they deliver it to the city.
Andres asked him to join, knowing the hardship they all share. Pablo is skeptical about his
plans because he knows its robbery but as Andres stated, is it stealing if you steal from
another thief? Or getting back what your tired, worn-out, shaking, sweaty hands personally
made? Andres and the others are getting desperate, and he knows Pablo is getting
desparate too.

3. Climax
The climax of the story starts with the appearance of Pablo’s wife and three children, who
were coming home from the fields after getting caught finding snails they can eat for dinner.
They came home with the watchman who stated that as a punishment for what they did, they
will give five cavanes of rice. After the watchmen left, Pablo could just have asked himself
“Could this day gat any worse?†after what he just heard. He knows that it is not his
wife nor his children’s fault they were starving. Pablo was fighting someone, for he was
fighting with himself, he did not know whether he should fight because it would put himself,
his family, and his fellow tenants in danger.

4. Falling Action
In a story, a falling action’s job is to release the tension from the previous 3 parts of
the story. But in this story, the falling action serves as the validation of Pablo’s choice. The
part where he releases all his anger and suffering on the carabao was both haunting and
heart-breaking to read. After seeing his daughter Sabel starving, he decided to cheer her up
by putting her on the carabao. But in keeping with the theme of the story, the carabao
whimpered and apparently hurt Sabel. This led to him beating the carabao. Finally, he
decided that he has had enough, and he grabs his bolo and his straw hat.

5. Resolution / Denoument
The resolution of the story is the part where everything in the story has been resolved,
giving a sense of closure. There are other stories that during the resolution of the story and
when it seems the story’s door is closing, there is a tease for what is next for the story and
its characters. Another example of resolutions is in the form of epilogues, which takes place
after the main plot.
 The resolution also shows the new normal for the characters. Since Pablo decided to
fight, the new normal for these characters tells us they will fight for the rest of their lives, they
will be fighting against injustice. No matter what happens with their foray towards the house,
they will fight knowing that they tried to do something for their
families.

The story ends on a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger is a plot element that leaves readers on
the edge, not knowing what is about to happen next, which will be revealed in a sequel. It
can also be argued that despite ending on a cliffhanger, there is still a sense of finality in the
story. That finality is entirely dependent on the imagination and speculation of the reader,
relying on the clues in the story, to how it will end.

In my opinion, after Pablo decided to come to Andres and silently go with him to Eli’s house
to fight, they will be successful. Since the owners does not expect resistance and they are
under the cover of darkness, they have the upper hand. Even after that, the story could go in
different ways. It could be that after their first successful attack and raid of the house. The
owners will call on reinforcements and within the next day or two, they could quell the
resistance of the tenants. It could also go in a way that there will be an endless cycle of
bloodshed, politics, and injustice after their choices.

LITERARY DEVICES

This short story uses various literary devices to enhance its narrative impact and effectively
convey its themes of poverty, desperation, and societal injustices. Here are some of the
prominent ones:

1. Imagery: Arguilla paints vivid pictures through descriptive language, creating a sense
of realism and evoking emotions in the reader.

Visual imagery: The story is rich in visual imagery, describing the environment, the
characters' appearance, and their actions.

● "The thick, coarse-haired skin was warm and dry like sun-heated earth." (Describing
the carabao)

● "The afternoon sun brought out the gold in the green of the young rice plants."
(Describing the rice fields)

● "He was a thickset, dull-faced fellow clad in khaki shirt and khaki trousers."
(Describing the watchman)

Auditory imagery: The story uses sound to create atmosphere and tension.

● "He could hear the sound of pounding in the neighboring hut."

● "The sharp thudding of the stone pestle against the mortar seemed to Pablo
unnaturally loud."
● "The carabao snorting with pain and fear as the blows of Pablo rained down its
back."

2. Symbolism: Certain objects and actions in the story carry symbolic meaning beyond
their literal interpretation.

● Rice: Rice is a central symbol representing sustenance, life, and the harsh reality of
poverty. It signifies the tenants' dependence on the landowners and the
consequences of their lack of control over their own resources.

● The Carabao: The carabao symbolizes the tenants' own plight, overworked and
mistreated, yet essential for their survival. Its suffering mirrors their own.

● The House: The dilapidated house of Pablo represents the tenants' poverty and the
oppressive conditions they endure.

● The Watchman: The watchman represents the oppressive power of the landowners,
enforcing rules that further exploit the tenants.

3. Personification: The story gives human-like qualities to non-human elements,

creating a sense of empathy and understanding.

● "The carabao by quietly, licking with its dark colored tongue and beads of moisture
that hung on the stiff hairs around its nostrils."

● "The afternoon sun brought out the gold in the green of the young rice plants."

4. Juxtaposition: The story contrasts different elements to highlight the stark realities
of the situation.

● The wealth and luxury of the landowners (represented by the trucks and the Senora's
house) are juxtaposed with the extreme poverty of the tenants (represented by their
dilapidated houses and lack of food).

● The tenants' desperation to survive is juxtaposed with the indifference and cruelty of
the landowners.

5. Irony: The story uses irony to highlight the absurdity of the situation.

● The tenants are forced to pay a fine of five cavanes of rice for gathering snails, a
meager source of food, underlining the unjust nature of the system.

● The Senora calls the tenants "ungrateful beasts" when they are desperately trying to
survive in a system that exploits them.

6. Repetition: The repetition of certain phrases and words emphasizes key themes
and creates a sense of urgency.
 ● "There is no rice, Osiang." The repeated phrase highlights the desperate situation of
the tenants.

● "Five cavanes..." The repetition of this phrase related to the fine emphasizes the
burden it places on the already impoverished family.

7. Foreshadowing: Certain events or dialogues suggest future events, creating

suspense and hinting at the potential consequences of the tenants' actions.

● "The rice is ours." Andres' declaration foreshadows the potential for conflict and
violence.

● "Tonight the trucks will carry every sack in sight to the city. Then I hope you all starve
you ungrateful beasts!" The Senora's threat foreshadows the desperation that will
drive the tenants to desperate measures.

8. Tone: The story's tone is somber, realistic, and full of empathy for the struggles of
the impoverished tenants.

By employing these literary devices, Manuel E. Arguilla effectively conveys the harsh
realities of rural life in the Philippines during the early 20th century. He uses evocative
language and powerful symbolism to expose the injustices faced by the tenants and their
desperate struggle for survival.

SYMBOLISMS

● Rice - hope for starving people

● Empty Sled - symbolize their emptiness on foods
● Carabao - represents people who worked hard everyday
● Broken-down fence - shows broken dreams
● Snails - people who can’t go over the mud
● Multa(fine) - means additional burden for the people
● Trucks - heavy stealer of their foods

THEMES

"That even the righteous man can do anything just for his family's sake"

ANALYSIS / OVERALL REFLECTION

"Rice" by Manuel E. Arguilla is a powerful and poignant tale that captures the harsh realities
of poverty and desperation in the rural Philippines. The story follows Pablo, a tenant farmer,
and his family who are perpetually on the brink of starvation due to the exploitative system
imposed by their wealthy landlord. The constant presence of hunger, symbolized by the
ever-present need for rice, drives the narrative. While initially resigned to his fate, Pablo
gradually reveals a simmering anger and a desperate desire for change. His violent outburst
towards the carabao and his eventual decision to join Andres in their plan to steal rice
highlight the struggle for survival in a system that perpetuates injustice. The story's
masterful use of symbolism, from the rice that represents both sustenance and oppression,
to the dilapidated hut that embodies the fragility of their existence, adds layers of meaning to
the characters' plight. "Rice" leaves a lasting impression with its unflinching portrayal of
human suffering and the desperate yearning for a better life, prompting readers to
contemplate the enduring challenges of poverty and inequality.