21st Century Literature
A Critique Paper
by: Francisco Sionil Jose
According to the article of
mobieG, Puppy love (infatuation) is the first kind of romantic love we
feel as teenagers. It is part of an immature relationship without the long term
commitments that comes with mature relationships. That feelings are commonly
felt are very intense feelings of desire, passion and excitement. The focus of
puppy love is on feelings – which can change quickly without explanation. Each
one of us as teenagers already felt that kind of romantic relationship and it
is also the part of our life.
The short story entitled as “Puppy Love" by Francisco
Sionil Jose was written in Chronological Plot. The story begin when Jacobo
Salcedo(Jake) who came from village and poor family tells about himself, Gina
Garcia and her older brother Lito Garcia who belong to a very rich family in
their town become friends an close to each other despite of having different
social status life. The story revolved around the love story "Puppy
Love" of Jacobo and Gina which started when they were in grade school and
as Jacobo said that “the attraction of the opposite sex does not start in
puberty; it start much earlier judging from own feelings at the same time
although, of course, it was a feeling so undefined and yet so tender and as
real as breathing"(1) which I also believe that is true and when I
experience it at my young age as it is for fun, can admire another person and
at the same as my inspiration too but the different is nothing more that no
struggles and challenges to face in life and it not last until now just like
Jacobo and Gina need to encountered after so many years they far away and not
seen each other. According to a Philosopher, Jean Paul Sarte "A man is a
creator of his own destiny" they both have chances to tell the truth and
introduce their selves but they choose to hide and tell lies not to hurt and
embarrassed one's feeling so other Circumstances happened so the ending of the
story they can no longer be together because of their complicated situation and
both of them already have commitment and loyalty to their own family.
The main characters in the story are Jacobo Salcedo and Gina
Garcia. The characters that they portrayed is very related and reflected to us
as a youth because nowadays most of us want to read a lot of books like
wattpads, novels etc. and sometimes we want those things happened in the story
is being adapted to our real life situation such as looking for an ideal and
perfect partner someday, having romantic and happy ending love story just like
Gina who read a love stories of Wuthering Heights and she said that “someday
when I fall in love, I will be faithful to him just as I expect him to be
faithful to me always"(5) words that she handle until she grew up that
greatly influenced her whole life make it miserable and get imprisoned because
she killed her unfaithful husband and he did not meet her expectations. On the
other hand, the story also showed to us how love makes a person be motivated
and inspired to achieve his or her goals in life, do everything for the sake of
love and revealed also how young children are "somewhat aggressive"
when it’s come to love and wants being committed in a relationship even though
at a young ages. The minor characters in the story are Jacobo's Father who
raised a fighting cocks and almost have much time to his cocks instead to his
own family and alcoholic ,Jacobo’s Mother, a responsible and lovely mother of
Jacobo who sells fish and salt in the market and collect jueteng bets, Lito
Garcia is the older brother of Gina which is one of the character in the story
who showed the real kinship when they were a young children without racial
affinity , Antonio Garcia is the father of
Lito and Gina Garcia,Don Carlos Cobello the one who help Jacobo Salcedo
to have a successful life and achieve his goals, Gina's Japanese Husband and
lastly is Jenny the wife of Jacobo.
The story was in the third person omniscient point of view
where the author knows all and everything about the main characters. As I
analyzed the story, the settings where the first scene happened is at the
Garcia's House where all the main characters as a young children developed
their childhood memories especially the romantic moment of Jacobo and Gina at
the bodega of Garcia's House. Another
setting is in the School where actually the puppy love usually developed
because of teasing with your classmates and other activities that might happen
together with your "Crush" that setting also showed the difference
between the kind of school we have today that all children from both poor and
rich family in the story studied in same school, learn and play together
compared today that we have what we called the "Public and Private
School". Aside from that other setting is at the bayside nightclub wherein
Gina acted as hostess and Jacobo as a client and whenever they have
conversation there's a gap between it because they don't have the same life and
same people anymore so both of them acted as what a hostess and a client supposed
to do and the last setting is in the prison where the realization and
confrontation of Jacobo and Gina happened they talked about the things happened
in Alberti,their lives after so many years and later recognized that they were
the young children who fall in love to each other before.
In the story of Francisco Sionil Jose entitled "Puppy
Love" the author succeeds to bring out the issue that today's society can
be related. The story is not just only about love it is also about social
aspects in our society like having social affinity or discrimination, what life
waiting to us when we are in Manila ”kapit sa patalim” to gumbled life as what
Gina did when all their possessions and properties are gone because of war and
being a hardworking and responsible person to achieve our goals in life and
just be patience to wait. As what the theme said "nothing last
forever" no matter what happens "puppy love" is still a puppy
love as how we defined it that this kind of love will just pass by in our life,
not last for a long time but the memories will remain forever in our heart and
mind whenever we remember our childhood memories.
