krisjoannedawa - Tumblr blog

[krisjoannedawa]

Critique for Footnote to Youth

               In the short story of Jose Garcia Villa, he tackles the realities and responsibilities that comes with marriage and family life. The story narrates the life of Dodong who wants to get married at the early age of seventeen. Trying to convince himself that he is old enough to handle a big responsibility as a husband and a father.

           In the story, it all started when Dodong decided to marry his love Teang. He was just seventeen that time but he thinks he was mature and old enough to get married. Dodong asked his parents’ permission that he want to get married with Teang. He got his parents blessings even though his parents know that he is still young and he is going to commit the same mistake that his parents did. Dodong and Teang lived together and Teang got pregnant. When Teang was going gave birth to their baby, Dodong felt guilty and regret. He realized that he was too young to handle the role of being a father. For six successive years a new child came along. And their first-born Blas grew up and turned eighteen. One night, Blas came along and told his father that he wants to marry Tona. Dodong fell sad and sorry for his son.

           We may be the one who make our own decision but there should be someone above who will guide us and look after us. The story has a very good moral lesson but in the story the parents should be the one who will guide their child. Dodong’s parents should not agree in the decision that Dodong made. They should remind Dodong that life isn’t easy and being a father is a very hard responsibility. The parents of Dodong should not let him experience the hardships that they have experienced. In the story, I understand that Dodong loves Teang but let’s be rational enough yet with the help of our hearts. Making a choice with the use of our heart alone is useless as well as with the mind. We can have so much regret over it, but if we use our heart plus our mind then it’s a perfect decision. Dodong should ponder first of what must happen if he marry and have a family in an early age.

           And therefore, the lesson of the story is to remind the young generations that they should not rush things. We should think before we act. Because in the end we might regret everything.