FOOTNOTE TO YOUTH

TITTLE
Footnote to Youth By Jose Garcia Villa. Footnote to youth is the title of the story. It is said that it
is a footnote to youth because it is a brief reminder for the Filipinos especially the youth of
what a real life could be today. It also indicates the sources or the causes why youth act this
way.
A footnote is a remark at the bottom of a page that provides further information about
anything referenced in the preceding text. As a result, it implies that it is a little feature or
component of a text that is relatively trivial in comparison to the other aspects. However, there
are no genuine footnotes in the narrative. As a result, the title Footnote to Youth implies that
the entire tale is a footnote. The fact that the word "footnote" appears in the title shows that
the story's meanings are extremely important.
SETTING
The story took place in a farm where the house of the main character is located which speaks a
lot about the social conditions prevalent when the short story was written in 1933. Back then,
farmers suffered because of two reasons. One was the rapid increase in the national population
brought about through improvements in public health, which put added pressure on the land,
lowered the standard of living, and created a labor surplus. And in this story, Jose Garcia Villa
portrayed two predominant issues at that time – the fast surging of population and the
hardships it brought to the cultivators. This also denotes the historical period when the story
took place which was the time when the country was in great economic turmoil.
The narration started moments before dusk which is an unusual way to begin a story.
Commonly, sunrise is associated with birth, the commencement of life. But in this story, the sun
setting in the west could mean just the opposite; not necessarily death but the end of the main
character’s youth. This brought a somber atmosphere in the story noting that what Dudong,
the main character, was about to do would ‘mark a climacteric in his life.’
Throughout the story, the weather condition was sunny. No amount of rain showered across
the lands nor a breeze of cold, comforting wind brushed the leaves of plants or even the
temporary shade of clouds came about to ease the heat of the sun. Moreover, the story took
place during the planting season from June to August and it is notably peculiar that the author
never mentioned about rain when it pours during these times of the year (monsoon). And this
could be another symbolism used by the author to signify the grueling effort made by the
characters, especially the main character in the story.
PLOT

Introduction – The beginning of the story established the mood and what the story is all
about – youth and marriage. Also, the introduction served as the foundation of the story as it
will later on progress and reveal the deeper issues that concern youth and marriage.
Rising Action – The rising action of the story was when Dudong was about to tell his
father about his decision of marrying Taeang. The conflicts were Man vs. Himself (Dudong vs.
himself) when Dudong was confused about his choice as soon as his father asked him if he must
marry. And the other conflict is Man vs. Man (Dudong vs. his father) when Dudong and his
father had a discussion about Dudong’s age and that Dudong is still too young to get married.
Climax – The climax was the Dudong’s effortless declaration of his plan, how his father
tried to accept it and his father’s answer on whether or not Dudong should marry. Though his
father was disappointed about Dudong’s decision, he approved it knowing it’s his son’s wish.
Then the story discloses the life that Dudong has ventured in to – the life of a married young
man with growing responsibilities of a husband and a father as the number of his sons and
daughters increased along with the anxiety of her wife, Taeang for all the things she had to do
like cooking, laundering, the house and the children.
Falling action – The story doesn’t have a falling action because the complications in
Dudong’s life were not resolved, in fact, they increased as the years go by.
Denouement – The final outcome of the story could be best described with the saying
“History repeats itself” wherein Dudong was confronted with the fact that his son, Blas is
undertaking the same journey he travelled on when he was his age. And the sad part is he
wasn’t able to do anything about it.
CHARACTERS
Dudong – He is the main character and the protagonist in the story. He was very young, only
seventeen when he got married and eighteen when he experienced the hardships of
fatherhood. From the story it was apparent that he was self-obsessed and is very careless about
his actions and decisions. He wanted to gain wisdom but felt he was deprived of it for the fact
that wisdom is gained for a considerable period of time and it is something that is handed down
by people who had wisdoms themselves which his father never did, that makes Dudong’s
thought of him not being able to surpass his father seem true. And since he married and
fathered his kids at a young age, he wasn’t able to raise them properly.
Teang – She is Dudong’s wife. Taeang regrets her decision of marrying at a young age
but never her choice of marrying Dudong. Though she cried sometimes for all the arduous and
never-ending tasks to be done, she never told Dudong about it for fear that Dudong would
dislike her – that’s how patient she is and how much she loved Dudong that she was able to
deal with it every single day of her life as a married woman.
 Blas – Dudong’s son who also experienced what Dudong had gone through in his
youth.
Lucio – Teang’s other suitor who got married after she did and who’s childless until now
Point of view
The point of view used was the omniscient limited where the author tells the story in third
person and the audience only knows what the character knows and what the author allows to
tell the audience. Moreover, the audience sees the thoughts and feelings of characters if the
author chooses to reveal them to the audience.
RESOLUTION
The solution to the story would be “Learn to listen to advice” and also “Learn to be more
assertive when you give advice to people who make rash decisions”.
SYMBOLISM
Blas’ birth symbolized that he left his youth behind and he now faces the responsibility of a
parent. Another was in the title, “Footnote to Youth”.

THEMES

 History repeats itself.

 Marriage is something that should be treated seriously, according to the moral of the
narrative. Because, aside from being a sacrament, marriage entails a great deal of
responsibility; once you make the decision to marry someone, there is no turning back.

 The clear message of the story is the need for calm and patience before making life-
altering decisions. It encourages the young to not let hormones and emotions get the
better of them and then rule the consequences.

It calls attention to the longevity of life and not letting youthful mistakes become the
burden of old age. It also speaks about the trials of marriage and that it demands
sacrifices which one should be willing to offer if the marriage is based on trust and love.
1. Explain the title. In what way is it suitable to the story? Footnote to youth is the title of the
story.

It is said that it is a footnote to youth because it is a brief reminder for the Filipinos especially the
youth of what a real life could be today. It also indicates the sources or the causes why youth act
this way. It furthermore adds comment, whether it is a positive or negative, on today’s
generation.

Yes, itis suitable to the story because it gives a warning for those apathetic youth that one’s
committed mistake because of their stubbornness. 2. What is the predominant element in the
story- plot, theme, character, and setting? Explain. The predominant element on this story is the
character and the setting. The setting has a great impact because the story definitely empathizes
the situations of a Filipino person and it is appealing for us because we are at the poverty line.
The setting is most likely the same setting as today. Also, the characters, because characters had
their own definite description, their conversation is different from one another, and they act as
unique as their personality it enhances the story even more. The act of the characters seems to
bring up the whole story.

 How is the conflict resolved? Actually, it was not resolved at all. Why? Because he just
realized that he was wrong for being stubborn and foolish that he was not listening to his
parents about dealing with marriage, family and life after marriage. And now that he has
his own family, he just accepts the fact that it already happens. Also because of his
unconditional love to Teang, he did not lose the battle and give up.

The story just finished with realization and somehow patching up things for the sake of his
family. 6. How does the author handle the characterization? Justify It is the mixture of all the
methods which are through description, conversation of each character, and their actions.
Footnote to youth talks about the youth as of today. It makes possible to illustrate what a typical
youth will be in the story so as a result, the author really brings out each individual through
describing them one by one.

And in this story it comes to pass. It also embarks upon on how the characters will converse to
one another and how they act in accordance on how they stick to their main beliefs. As you can
see every deed and tete-a-tete made by each of the character are equally diverse.

 Does this story create any special mood? Explain. Yes, it does create a special aura and
the tone for that is the sense of mercy and pity to Dodong because he was suffering of
life’s real experiences. And he had no way to stop this and because of this, he was
embarrassed and humiliated on what he had done because of his eager to face life without
any guarantee of orienting himself about it. You can also see the disappointment because
the youth of today is like Dodong who is apathetic about the real score in life and because
they say that they are mature, close-mindedness are being seen for this.
 Is this story realistic or true to life? Explain your answers by giving examples. Yes, this
story is true to life and all the youth is experiencing this kind of trouble. For example at
the provinces, because of lack of education and orientation of the parents and siblings
about responsible adulthood and parenthood, their siblings are engaging to a lot of
relationship and turns out to be marrying at the young age because of there stubbornness
and foolishness. Because in provinces, it is not wrong to marry at the young age but there
is certain limitation.If the man is mature enough to face life challenges to avoid
consequences. He will get to marry his partner provided that he has his parent’s consent.
Like Dodong.