Teenagers are impulsive and aggressive.

Whatever they think and feel at the moment, they want to

do it right away. Because of this attitude, it is common among young men and women in rural areas
to marry very early. Consequently, barrio couples have big families and young parents have to work
very hard to support their children

Summary

Dudong is 17 year old young who is impatiently waiting for his father to return home so that he can
tell him of his love for Teang and his desire to marry her. He feels that at 17 he is a grown man and is
ready for the next important step in his life. When he tells his father that he has asked Teang to marry
him and wants his blessing, there is a long and cruel silence. His father asks if he must marry her
because Dudong is very young. Dudong resents his father's question, and finally his father gives his
consent.

Nine months later, Dudong is waiting outside while Teang gives birth to their first son, Blas. He feels
young and inexperienced, a contrast to how he felt nine months ago. Dudong did not want any more
children, but they came anyway.

For the next six years, Teang gave birth. Seven children in all. Teang did not complain. However her
body was now shapeless and thin from bearing so many children and from the hard work of caring for
them and the household.

Even though she loved Dudong, she cried and wished that she had not married so young. There had
been another suitor, Lucio, who was nine years older than Dudong. She chose Dudong because he
was so much younger. Lucio had married after she married Dudong, however, he was childless. She
wonders if she had married Lucio, would she be childless? She feels that would have been a better
lot in life. But she loves Dudong, even though life has made her old and ugly.

One night Dudong goes outside and thinks about his life. He wants to have the wisdom to know why
life does not fulfill Youth's dreams. Why did life forsake you after love? He never finds the answer.

When Blas turns 18, he comes home and tells Dudong that he wants to marry Tena. Dudong at this
time is only 36 years old, but he is portrayed as a much older man. Dudong does not want Blas to
marry so young. He asks the same question his father asked him. Does Blas have to marry Tena? He
does not want him to make the same mistake he did. Blas also reacts with resentment. Dudong
realizes that he is dealing with Youth and Love, and they will triumph over this situation. After that,
comes real life. He gives his consent, feeling sad and sorry for his son.

Elements of Short Story

• Setting Farm

• Characters

1. Dodong - main character of the story who got married at the age of 17

2. Teang - regretted marrying at an early age

3. Lucio - Teang's other suitor who got married after she did and who's childless until now

4. Blas - Dodong and Teang's oldest son who followed their footsteps in the end. Blas contemplated to marry Tona when
he was 18

5. Tona - woman whom Blas wants to marry.

• Point of View Third person (central)

PLOT

Exposition – Dodong was fully decided to marry Taeang and intended to tell it to his father…

Complication – Taeang regretted to be married at their early age.

Crises – Dodong has a question that he can’t answer… “Why life forsaken after love?”
 Climax – When Blas was at his eighteen years of age, he asked permission to his father
Dodong to marry Tona…

Denouement – Dodong was helpless. He couldn’t do anything but to give his consent.

Ending – Dodong was really feel sad and sorry for his son.

1. Explain the title. In what way is it suitable to the story?

Footnote to youth is the title of the story. It is said that it is a footnote to youth because it is a brief reminder for
the Filipinos especially the youth of what a real life could be today. It also indicates the sources or the causes
why youth act this way. It furthermore adds comment, whether it is a positive or negative, on today’s
generation. Yes it is suitable to the story because it gives a warning for those apathetic youth that one’s
committed mistake because of their stubbornness

2. Who is the single main character about whom the story centers?Explain.

The story centers at the character of Dodong. Dodong is theone who represents the typical youth that
experiencing a lot of uncertainties in life that make him realize that he sacrifice his youth justfor the sake of
proving himself that he can manage his own life becausehe is matured enough to face this life’s challenges.

3. What sort of conflict confronts the leading character or characters?Explain.

Internal conflict confronts the leading character. Internalcharacter in a way that he was struggling if he can managed
himself tohave a family because he knows that he is in the legal age that he can beindependent and can definitely
choose the right from wrong. But becauseof his foolishness, he had difficult time meeting the expectations that hemust
achieve

4. How is the conflict resolved?Actually, it was not resolved at all. Why?

Because he justrealized that he was wrong for being stubborn and foolish that he was notlistening to his parents
about dealing with marriage, family and life after marriage. And now that he has his own family, he just accepts
the factthat it already happens. Also because of his unconditional love to Teang,he did not lose the battle and
give up. The story just finished withrealization and somehow patching up things for the sake of his family.

5. How does the author handle the characterization? Justify.

It is the mixture of all the methods which are through description, conversation of each character, and their
actions. Footnote to youth talks about the youth as of today. It make possible to illustrate what a typical youth
will be in the story so as a result, the author really brings out each individual through describing them one by
one. And in this story it comes to pass. It also embarks upon on how the characters will converse to one another
and how they act in accordance on how they stick to their main beliefs.

7. Who tells the story? What point of view is used? Explain.

The writer is the one responsible in letting know the story of Footnote to Youth. The omniscient viewpoint is
used since a third person speaker who recognizes the whole thing about all the characters is all-knowing. The
person who reads distinguishes about the impression and feelings of all the characters in the piece. He knows
every detailed event that happens on Dodong’s life.

8. What is the general theme of the story? What is the underlying theme? Name any other stories with a similar
theme?

The general theme for this story is youth must triumph now. Love must triumph now. As long ago did youth and
love triumph for Dodong and then life. That life is not as easy as it should be. Life is said to be simple but it is
hard to manage and hard to deal with. “BagongParaiso” is mostly similar with the theme.

9. Does the story have a moral? If not, what do you think the purpose of the author was?

Yes. We learned that having a family is really hard to do and needs a lot of thinking before pursuing to do it.
Also, being aware and conscious of the Filipinos in terms of our status in life that it is not practical for a typical
youth to get married if they are not physically, financially, emotionally, psychologically stable. Furthermore, it is
better for us to follow what our parents what is think for us is best because our parents really knows how life
should be. They already experienced these things and they do not want to experience this kind of things. Finally,
 we must have proper education about responsible parenthood to avoid consequences when we engaged to
have a family

Theme

• Enjoy being Youth

• Responsibilities and Realities;

• Decision Making

ENRICHING INSIGHTS

1. What do you feel about the experiences of Dodong and Teang as a young couple?

2. What are your priorities in life as a student? List ten and rank them accordingly

ENHANCING SKILLS

• Exercise 1: Choose a song appropriate to the experience of Dodong. Analyze the lyrics

• Exercise 2: Tell a story in class about a person who is in the same situation of Dodong and Teang