Analysis and Dominant Themes

The role of the groom and bride’s family most especially the parents are highly considered. The
religion, culture and other differences are the factors that affect the decisions of the both families.
Filipinos are identified for being family oriented. A son or a daughter must consult his/her parents before
coming up with a decision, and it is parent’s duty to guide and look after his/her children even after
reaching the legal age. In a Filipino wedding the parents of the bride and groom influence their child’s
choices.

The story of Rebekah M. Alawi’s “The Road to Aras-Asan” is a mother’s journey in meeting the
family of her future daughter-in-law. The entire story is about her experiences during her trip to
“pamamanhikan” and on the wedding day. The conflict between two families is emphasized in the story.
This type of incidence is very common before a wedding happens due to family’s disagreements and
different biases. The story of the author’s son and his bride is usual occurrence due to cultural and
religious differences and typically happens in this country. Philippines known to have many tribes and
having a diverse culture. Philippines is also considered as one of the most religious country in the world.
Cultural differences and religion influences someone’s decision before entering marriage. In this story we
can see the author’s son’s sacrificing love for his woman and the bride’s faithfulness to her religion and
her God. The parent of the bride and groom’s love and loyalty to their respective belief is correspondingly
present. The poor infrastructure in rural and remote areas are discussed in the story. A story of friendship
and support from the other family members is present in this story where the author’s friends together
with her sister-in-law’s family go with her to Aras-Asan attend and witness her son’s wedding despite of
distance and safety. The story ends happily where love, support and acceptance of differences is present.

Literature Review

The purpose of this literature review is to bring attention to the marriage involving the families of
the bride and groom in the story of Rebekah M. Alawi’s “The Road to Aras-Asan”. Marriage refer to the
state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual
relationship recognized by law (Merriam Webster). This literature review outlines cultural factors that
contribute to marriage and family. Based on the research available, it is proposed that cultural values may
play a significant role in marriage and family.

Different people define marriage in different ways. Not even sociologists are able to agree on a
single meaning. For some purposes, Altman, Irwin and Ginat, (n.d) define marriage as a legally recognized
social contract between two people, traditionally based on a sexual relationship and implying a
permanence of the union. In creating an inclusive definition, they also consider variations, such as whether
a legal union is required (think of “common- law” marriage and its equivalents), or whether more than
two people can be involved (consider polygamy). Other variations on the definition of marriage might
include whether spouses are of opposite sexes or the same sex, and how one of the traditional
expectations of marriage (to produce children) is understood today.

Sociologists are interested in the relationship between the institution of marriage and the
institution of family because, historically, marriages are what create a family, and families are the most
basic social unit upon which society is built. Both marriage and family create status roles that are
sanctioned by society.

The question of what constitutes a family is a prime area of debate in family sociology, as well as
in politics and religion. Social conservatives tend to define the family in terms of structure with each family
member filling a certain role (like father, mother, or child). Sociologists, on the other hand, tend to define
family more in terms of the manner in which members relate to one another than on a strict configuration
of status roles. Family is defined as a socially recognized group (usually joined by blood, marriage, or
adoption) that forms an emotional connection and serves as an economic unit of society. Sociologists
identify different types of families based on how one enters into them. A family of orientation refers to
the family into which a person is born. A family of procreation describes one that is formed through
marriage. These distinctions have cultural significance related to issues of lineage (Altman, Irwin and
Ginat, n.d).

Cultural Barriers. Culture can be defined as a set of shared values that allow a number of people
to function together (Henry & Schott, 1999). Cultural values influence an individuals’ belief system and
consequently how individuals view the world, how they interact with those around them and how they
live their lives. Cultural values establish a disposition to act in a certain way (Frey, 1994), which could
ultimately affect how individuals feel and how they respond to those feelings. Cultural barriers exist when
language, beliefs or traditions become obstacles. On the other hand, religious beliefs (which are
associated with cultural beliefs) have been found to bring attention to the marriage involving the two
families (Chiriboga, 2014). Although very limited information is available regarding the role that cultural
values related to the family, family values have been speculated to play a major role in using services that
provide social interaction (Lai, 2008).
 Familism. Familism is defined as a “strong identification and attachment of individuals and their
families, and strong feelings of loyalty, reciprocity and solidarity among members of the same family”
(Sabogal et al.,1987). Those who endorse the value of familism view the family as the most important
source of emotional, social and instrumental support, have strong feelings of loyalty and solidarity
towards their family members, and believe that family members should be supported and cared for when
in need (Heller, 1970; Sabogal, et al., 1987).