NAME: MYREL C.

TUCIO 12 STEM- D

CRITIQUE PAPER

Footnote to Youth by Jose Garcia Villa

Footnote to Youth is a story written by Jose Garcia Villa that focuses on real-life scenarios while
emphasizing youth, responsibilities, and marriage. The story itself entitled is "footnote," which means
that the note or message to the reader, specifically to the youth, is found at the very end of the story.
That the reader should be the one to determine what the story is trying to convey or if the story has
more than one valid interpretation. As a result, the approach used is a reader-response approach, which
focuses on the story's readers or audience.

The plot of the story spans two generations, beginning with Dodong's decision to marry and ending with
his eldest son Blas approaching him to tell him that he, too, wishes to marry. Dodong married Teang
when he was seventeen years old. Following that, they had Blas' son. Blas is eighteen years old when he
approaches his father for permission to marry his sweetheart Tona. Having said that, the story spans 17
years.

The story highlights a societal issue in the Philippines: the practice of marrying too young and suffering
for the rest of the marriage. Dodong and Teang, despite their love for each other and their children, are
clearly dissatisfied with the way their lives have turned out. The first part of the story also implies that
Dodong's parents were in the same situation. The story shines a light on the cycle of marrying young and
then suffering throughout life.

Is there a moral to the story? It's pretty self-evident. Don't marry when you're young just because
you're in love. Most of the time, it's a recipe for disaster. Parents can learn from the story as well. Don't
be afraid to say no if your seventeen- or eighteen-year-old son tells you he's going to marry his
girlfriend.

Does the saying “history repeats itself" apply to the story's narrative? Yes. The entire story would be a
re-enactment of history. Dodong's parents married at young age and suffered as a result. Dodong
married young and suffered as a result. Dodong's son is now marrying young, and Dodong is aware that
both his son and his future wife will suffer as a result.

The youth are the motherland's hope. We are the future of our country. Teenagers today are impulsive
and aggressive, and they want to do whatever they think and feel right now. This narrative was designed
to open our eyes to the possibilities of what might happen if we aren't careful with our actions. We
should ponder before making major life decisions, and we should set priorities in life while we are still
young. Because once a decision is made, you must be willing to confront and accept the consequences.