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.