Contemporary Arts
from Regions
Performance Tasks: Literary work of Filipino Artist
Canlas, Joanaliza S.
Grade 12- Block 3 Saint Pope Clement I
Mr. Julius Cacho
CAR teacher
January 28, 2018
Footnote to Youth
“Missing out on the fun of teenager life and being young. Responsibility has to be shouldered at
a very young age. One has taken on household responsibilities and child rearing responsibilities.
It will deprive you of your youth.”
INTRODUCTION
Footnote to youth is the title of the story because it is a brief reminder for the Filipinos especially
the youth of what a real life could be today. It gives warning to the youth that having a family at
an early age is not easy.
CHARACTERS
 Dodong- main character of the story who got married at the age of 17.
 Teang- the wife of Dodong and she regretted marrying at an early age.
 Lucio- Teang’s other suitor who got married after she did and who’s childless until now.
 Blas- Dodong and Teang’s oldest son who followed their footsteps in the end. Blas
contemplated to marry Tona when he was 18.
 Tona- woman whom Blas wants to marry.
SETTING
At the Barrio
SUMMARY
Dudong,17, is impatiently waiting for his father to return home so that he can tell him of his love
for Teang and his desire to marry her. He feels that at 17 he is a grown man and is ready for the
next important step in his life. When he tells his father that he has asked Teang to marry him and
wants his blessing, there is a long and cruel silence. His father asks if he must marry her because
Dudong is very young. Dudong resents his father's question, and finally his father gives his
consent. Nine months later, Dudong is waiting outside while Teang gives birth to their first son,
Blas. He feels young and inexperienced, a contrast to how he felt nine months ago. Dudong did
not want any more children, but they came anyway. For the next six years, Teang gave birth.
Seven children in all. Teang did not complain. However her body was now shapeless and thin
from bearing so many children and from the hard work of caring for them and the household.
Even though she loved Dudong, she cried and wished that she had not married so young. There
had been another suitor, Lucio, who was nine years older than Dudong. She chose Dudong
because he was so much younger. Lucio had married after she married Dudong, however, he was
childless. She wonders if she had married Lucio, would she be childless. She feels that would
have been a better lot in life. But she loves Dudong, even though life has made him old and
ugly. One night Dudong goes outside and thinks about his life. He wants to have the wisdom to
know why life does not fulfill Youth's dreams. Why did life forsake you after love? He never
finds the answer. When Blas turns 18, he comes home and tells Dudong that he wants to marry
Tena. Dudong at this time is only 36 years old, but he is portrayed as a much older man. Dudong
does not want Blas to marry so young. He asks the same question his father asked him. Does
Blas have to marry Tena? He does not want him to make the same mistake he did. Blas also
reacts with resentment. Dudong realizes that he is dealing with Youth and Love, and they will
triumph over this situation. After that, comes real life. He gives his consent, feeling sad and
sorry for his son.
PLOT
 Introduction
Dodong wants to marry Teang and asked his father’s permission.
 Rising Action
Thinking that they are still young and their love would be short. Dodong’s father allowed
them to get married despite of their very young age.
 Climax
Teang gave birth to their first baby named Blas, but Dodong felt embarrassed, he is still
not ready to support a family.
 Falling Action
Teang secretly regretted being married at an early age, even though she really loved
Dodong. Finally, Dodong realized the hardships of marrying such an early age.
 Denoument
Blas at the age of 18 wanted to marry Tona. Dododng did not object but tried to make
Blas think twice before wishing to marriage because Dodong doesn’t want Blas to end up
like him.
Ecclesiastes 11:9-16
“You, who are young, be happy while you are young and let your heart give joys in the days of
your youth.”
THEME
People would always go with their feelings, without hesitations, they will do anything for the
sake of love. The character of the story is really suited to those teenagers who early get married.
It’s a reality because it’s happening. Nowadays, many teenagers jump into marriage when they
got pregnant because for them it’s the only solution, without asking some piece of advice from
their respective parents. For them, as long as they loved each other it’s easy for them to get
married without knowing that in the middle and in the next page of their life they will encounter
some obstacles that will challenge them in the future. We must not decide any decision in a hurry
situation because it will cause too much regrets in the end, let us know first the consequences if
we make that decision or not.
CONCLUSION
Teenagers show their behavior as an affectionate individual in the world of love. Mostly, they
give everything in the name of love not knowing that they are just only one of the victim. To
raise a family is not just an easy job to do, sooner or later they come to realize how difficult to be
a father and mother and the choice they have chosen. The story gives me information and
realizations which I can relate to reality. When it comes to love matters, we can never contradict.
Love is love and we can never argue to that but too much love might be the cause of unexpected
outcome. The realization that really struck me was that never rush things because in the end you
will just be blaming why those things happened. Everything must be planned well. We have the
right to make our decisions yet we just have to see-to-it the decisions that will be applied will
bring us to have a good future and will not result us to blame ourselves. Yes it is true that regret
is always at the end but we can avoid it if we only know how to decide things properly.