Footnote to Youth is a short story written by the first National Artist for Literature Jose Garcia Villa. It talks about rushed life-decisions, lack of clear communication and the drastic effects of poor decision-making. The short story features the life of Dodong, a seventeen-year-old boy who desired to be married given his young age. He married Teang, who is also in her early youth but desired to be with him.
As we can observe, both characters are in their early puberty where young love, emotions and hormones are starting to go off-balance and uncontrolled desires are heavily influenced by this phase. From there, the rushed decision of marrying each other produced an unwell marriage of the two since both lack maturity to establish a family.
Lack of clarity in communication also contributed to the miserable life of Dodong as a young father. In the beginning of the story, it is with Dodong’s father, who supported his son’s decision despite internal decline, that put Dodong into a tough life with Teang. If only Dodong’s father may be able to educate him about marriage, maybe Dodong may have more time to scrutinize his decision. However, when Dodong became a father, the same thing happened. He has his own internal decline when his son, Blas, told him that he will marry at the young age.
The cycle happened as a manifestation of building a norm of negative reinforcement; where the fathers, Dodong and Dodong’s father, supported their sons’ decisions even though they have the voice to educate them about how hard it is to be married, especially when the marriage is unprepared. But both chose not to because they doubt themselves if they are capable of educating their own sons.
The story serves as a reminder and a warning of having a life that is full of rushed choices and poor decision- making. It also depicts marriage and transition to adulthood as something that regret, anxiety and responsibilities will start to flourish.
Lastly, Villa strongly incorporated the vitality of desire. Indeed, desire has its role in our lives, but desire during early puberty demands guidance from someone who is more mature. Dodong manifests a strong desire for Teang leading him to propose to her, it is presented that unguided desire may prove to be a downfall into a life which is just about to start.
Thus, this is a short story that every teenager will related to, no matter what generation they are from. This text might be able to encourage them to take a pause and detach themselves from their desires, as influence of their puberty, to think more about the life and future that is about to arrive. Youth is that moment where everyone feels mature and independent but, realistically, it is that moment that they need more proper guidance just like what they have experienced during their childhood. It is like a continuation of their childhood where there is still a need of their parents to make things matter and to better understand the changes happening around.
Tags: Footnote to Youth, Jose Garcia Villa, literature, story review, themes and symbolism, modern relevance, LifeThinker.
