FOOTNOTE TO YOUTH: A SENTENCE OUTLINE

TOPIC: “FOOTNOTE TO YOUTH”- By: Jose Garcia Villa
https://ischoolsericsonalieto.wordpress.com/2010/08/24/footnote-to-youth-jose-garcia-villa/

I.      CHARACTERS

A.     Dodong- Main character, father of Blas who marries at the age of 17.

B.    Taeang- Dodong’s wife, mother of Blas.

C.     Blas- Son of Dodong and Taeang who wants to marry Tona

D.     Lucio- Other suitor of Taeang who marries another girl and childless.

E.    Tona- The girl Blas wanted to marry.

F.     Dodong’s Mother & Father- character that doesn’t change its role.

II.   SETTINGS

·         At their farm and at their house.

·      Scenery: Lonely, gloomy, and silent evening

·      Time: Long time ago, American Era

III.  THEME

·         Enjoyment of being a youth.

·        Decision Making.

·        Seeing Realities and Doing Responsibilities.

IV.   POINT OF VIEW

·         Third Person (CENTRAL)

V.   CONFLICT

·         MAN VS. SELF

o   When Dodong wanted to marry Taeang even if he was only 17 years old.

o   When Dodong felt guilty and untrue because unlike nine months ago, he felt he was no longer a boy and he realizes that he was too young to become a father.

o   When Dodong wanted to be wise about many things and one of them was why life did not fulfill all of youths’ dreams.

VI.  PLOT

              It was almost sun set. Dodong, a 17 year old boy was planning to tell his father about Taeang, his girl, when he got home. He thought of himself as no longer a boy but already a man. He took a bath in the creek and it was dusk when he reached home. He ate supper with his parents and when his mather went out to the batalan to wash dishes, Dodong told his father that he is going to marry Taeang. At first, his father, while sucking the broken tooth didn’t answer but then he soon agreed to what Dodong wants.

                After nine months, Taeang give birth to Blas, their first son. Unlike before, Dodong realized that he was too young to become a father. He felt guilty and untrue. He felt like crying but when he saw the baby, he couldn’t control the swelling happiness in him.

                After six successive years, many children came even if Dodong didn’t want it anymore. Taeang didn’t complain but she cries sometimes, wishing she hadn’t married Dodong even if she loved him.

                One night, as Dodong lay beside his wife, he rose and went out. He stood in the moonlight, tired and querulous. He wanted to ask questions and somebody to answer him. One of that was why life didn’t fulfill youth’s entire dream, but he couldn’t find the answer so he returned to the house humiliated by it. He had wanted to know a little wisdom but was denied.

VII. LESSON

                This short story concentrates on the prospect of early marriages and early pregnancy. These account focuses on the most common problem of young people today. Being loved and in loved encompasses a lot of things and responsibilities in life that we have to keep in mind. Being married at a young age must be considered because everything that’s been happening in our society we might just regret about it. Indeed marriage is a holy sacrament and must be taken seriously and confidently by two people sharing and seeing as their love grows.