"Footnote to Youth," written by Jose Garcia Villa and published in 1933, offers a meaningful glimpse into a different era. Understanding the story's publication year is essential to grasp its full context and significance. The Philippines in the 1930s was a world apart from today. If you've read the story, you might agree that it serves as a critique of the widespread Filipino practice of marrying young and without preparation. I imagine that getting married at a young age was much more common back in the 1930s than it is now
The Characters
1. Dodong - A 17-year-old youth wanting to marry his sweetheart.
2. Teang - The girl whom Dodong wanted to marry.
3. Dodong's father
4. Dodong's mother
5. Lucio - A former suitor of Teang who was nine years older than Dodong.
6. Blas - Dodong's eldest son.
7. Tona - The girlfriend of Blas.
Plot and Summary
The plot of the story is four-pronged. It has four parts that sweep through two generations from the day Dodong decides to get married to the day his eldest son Blas approaches him to tell him that he himself wants to get married. Dodong was seventeen when he married Teang. They immediatley conceived Blas sson after. Blas is eighteen when he asks his father permission to marry his sweetheart Tona. That said, the story covers a time span of 17 years.
Part I - On a sunny afternoon after a hard day's work in the fields, Dodong decides to tell his father that he wants to marry his sweetheart Teang. He's only seventeen years old. After a sumptous dinner, he spills out his plans to his father. His proposition is met with hesitation and discouragement. His father tells him that he's too young to get married. But in the end, his father agrees to his wishes and grants him the permission to marry Teang.
Part II - Nine months after their marriage, Teang gives birth to her first son. Dodong experiences a whirlwind of conflicting emotions during the bithing process - confusion, fear, discomfort,embarrassment, and guilt. But when he hears the little baby whimper and cry, he swells with happiness.
Part III - Blas is followed by six more children. Dodong didn't want any more children but they came anyway. This makes him angry at himself sometimes. The parade of children is also taking its toll on Teang. She often wishes that she's not married. She sometimes wonder if her life would've been better had she married Lucio, a former suitor she rejected for the reason that he was nine years older than Dodong.
Part IV - Blas is eighteen years old. One night, he tells his father that he wants to marry his girlfriend Tona. Like his father before him, Dodong doesn't want Blas to marry as he's too young. He knows what's going to happen if Blas marries too early. He gives him permission to marry anyway. But he does so with sadness in him.
Notes and Analysis / Study Guide for Students
The story highlights a societal issue in the Philippines—the practice of marrying too young and enduring the consequences. Despite their love for each other and their children, Dodong and Teang are clearly unhappy with how their lives have turned out. It is implied that Dodong's parents experienced the same difficulties. The story examines this cycle of young marriages leading to lifelong suffering.
Is there a moral lesson in the story?
Yes, the moral lesson is clear: don't marry young solely because of love, as it often leads to hardship. Additionally, parents should learn from the story. If your teenage son tells you he plans to marry his girlfriend, don't be afraid to say no.
Does the saying "history repeats itself" apply to the narrative in the story?
Absolutely. The entire story is an example of history repeating itself. Dodong's parents married young and suffered, Dodong married young and suffered, and now Dodong's son is about to marry young, and Dodong knows his son and his future wife will likely suffer the same fate.
