Abstract

Identifying Gender Roles in Manuel Arguilla’s Short Story Midsummer

Mary Celine Fatima D. Del Pilar

The story of Manuel Arguilla’s Midsummer, published in 1933, talks about Manong and
Ading who fell in love with each other during a hot sizzling summer day and showed their
affection for each other in a subtle way. The character’s approach and their way of portraying
themselves in the story gives an indication of how it is associated with the gender roles that are
apparent in the story. That being the case, the paper will use the Feminist approach to understand
the character’s role and symbols that represent their gender in the story. Moreover, this will
discuss how the story depicts the second wave of Feminism that explains how women are
starting to build a rapport in creating their rights and attaining equality. I argue that despite the
rise of feminist movement in the eighteenth century, gender roles and distinctions are still
evident in Manuel Arguilla’s Midsummer in the Filipino context. Thus, gender roles took part
with how feminist movement was aroused.

Key points: gender role, 2nd wave feminism, Arguilla, symbols, Filipino context

In 1933, Manuel Arguilla wrote Midsummer, a story that started with Manong
encountering Ading for the first time. The narrative shows a common first encounter between
people of different sexes and the potential for relationship. It started with the man and his cart
tied to his bull on a long dry road, when he suddenly sees Ading who stood unmoving watching
him come towards her. The story depicts a typical first encounter between two opposite sexes
and the possibility of having a fostered relationship in a subtle way. In a rural environment
beside a village well, the amazing encounter takes place. In its relentless and unyielding heat, the
summer was intense. Manong arrived at the village well with his bull and wagon and was
surprised to see the attractive figure of Ading. The author explains the two's hesitation and
coyness in approaching one another, accurately reflecting the values and practices of the location
and people. The atmosphere is filled with immense heat, which is amplified by a stronger
sensation of chemistry between the two. The short story Midsummer is one of the many stories
that can be linked into the Feminist approach because it involves and manifest how gender roles
are being seen in the narrative based on what happened to the story of a man and a woman who
felt an intimate relationship with each other.

Feminist approach discusses the issues of equality and equity based on gender. This
approach was known to have three waves which each focuses on the gain obtained by women. In
addition, according to a study, the feminist perspective is concerned with how literary works
support or challenge the social, political, economic, and psychological oppression of women.
Furthermore, the feminist approach is renowned for its diversity in terms of emphasis and
methodology. It involves concentrating on aspects of women's lives that can be connected to
their social realities with the goal of improving those realities. According to the study of Kiguwa,
P., et.al. (2019), the gap between the terms "feminist" and "gender", which is pertinent, gives rise
to the idea that studies and research on gender are not always feminist in perspective.

Based on the second wave of feminism, it elucidates the goal of increasing equality for
women by building on the previous feminist gains. According to a study by R. Baxandall and L.
Gordon published in 2002, the second wave of feminism is the largest social movement for
women which creates a huge impact to the way women have felt inside their home, school, and
even in business. In addition, this is where women seek for sex equality which as they were
criticized and called male chauvinism. Thus, this can be associated in the 1933 short story of
Manuel Arguilla. The plot in the story is very straightforward, yet it is intriguing since it is a
story that most Filipinos can relate to and it imbibes the Filipino context and how it is seen in the
culture. It depicts the way men, especially women are expected to act, speak, dress, and present
themselves based upon their assigned sex. It also illustrates the movement raised for women that
uplifts their rights and attained equality–second wave feminism.

Maria Clara, a term used in representing a Filipino woman. In a Filipino context, Maria
Clara de los Santos, her full name, is known for her demure, calm, religious, and gentle
attributes. She was mentioned in Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere that reveals her character as
the ideal Filipino woman. This Filipino term can be linked to how Ading represents a Filipina.
There are instances where Filipino women are anticipated to act in a certain way. For instance, as
mentioned in an article, factsanddetails.com, women in the Philippines are traditionally
responsible for household chores and children are part of their duties. It is also stated that men
are seen to be the head of the family whereas women are entitled to be homemaker and nurturer
for their children.

The feminist approach is apparent in Arguilla’s Midsummer through the use of the
characters’ lines in the narrative. Initially, the way women dress themselves is also being looked
at, as asserted in the story,

“A gaily striped kerchief covered her head, the ends tied at the nape of her neck. She
wore a homespun bodice of light red cloth with small white checks. Her skirt was also homespun
and showed a pattern of white checks with narrow stripes of yellow and red.”

Being a Filipina, it has been embroidered with the notion of how they should dress
warmly and skin must not be too exposed as part of the gender roles that was set by the society.
In a Filipino household, most women are persuaded to dress appropriately by means of covering
enough skin. According to a study proposed by Johnson, T. (2017), the notion that a woman's
outward look was more significant than her individual life achievements was one of several
concerns during the second wave feminism which they wanted to voice out themselves. Women
were only majorly seen physically and their capabilities were not being considered. Also, as
stated in, Fredickson and Robert’s study in 1997, men and women alike have a predisposition to
judge women more seriously for their appearance than for their accomplishments, although they
do not judge men in this regard.

Secondly, the story illustrates the character of Manong and Ading that clearly explains
the notion of gender roles as Manong states,
 "I will draw you another bucketful, I am stronger than you."

This evidently conveys that women are known for being inferior and weak yet men are
more on the superior and stronger side. As stated in an article, women are expected to take care
of their children and cook whereas men will work on more uncompromising tasks and heavy
loads. Moreover, Butler’s idea in 2004, extends to the strength differences in which liberal
feminists sometimes accept as natural and which radicals see as being used ideologically to
maintain male dominance. Hence, naturally, men are physically stronger than women, though it
should not be generalized. The line above which expresses masculinity proves that Ading, who is
a woman in the story, was perceived as the weaker between the two.

Thirdly, the lines:

"Let me hold the bucket while you drink,"; and

“Manong, why don't you come to our house and bring your animal with you? There is
shade and you can sleep, though our house is very poor.”

As expressed in the story, these provide support for the idea of how gender roles are
apparent since women back then were expected to serve men. In this regard, women are seen to
be someone as very accommodating in which they are presumed to provide services to men for
them to do. Ideally, women are believed to be pleasant and generous to the point where they are
willing to perform duties for men. Being coined in the same study suggested by Johnson (2017),
this issue was brought to public attention at the time by numerous campaigns. They were
presented to the general public in a way that forced women into gender norms, such as their
responsibilities in the home or other menial tasks that did not promote them.

Lastly, alluded in the story, “She carried the jar on her head without holding it. Her
hands swung to her even steps.”, this demonstrates Ading as a feminist as she represents
someone who shares common goal–establishing equal opportunity in social aspect. In a study, it
was found that feminist believes that men and women must have similar rights in which
organized activities are being supported. This can be supported by Gelling, L.’s study (2003)
saying that the goal of the feminist approach is to "make women visible, elevate their
consciousness, and empower them," which is accomplished through focusing on the experiences
of women in natural social contexts.

To sum it all up, these stereotypes based on gender roles have given limited opportunities
for both sides and make their relationships between people tough. The emotions and actions they
wish to pursue is restricted which makes it difficult as it may cause abuse to either of them. The
social construct specifically Filipino women, in particular, are expected to behave in a feminine
and demure manner, whereas Filipino males are expected to be rough and dominant. The second
wave of feminism indeed played a vital role in uplifting the equality to both men and women by
establishing their own identity and capability of both gender. Therefore, the feminist approach
and its second wave is manifested in Arguilla’s short story as feminism arises and take part in
attaining gender equality through the inclusion of the characters’ attributes in the story.
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