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“Life must go on”
The
story “Puppy Love” by Francisco Sionil Jose is an interesting story about
falling in love at a very young age. It’s not new to hear or read this kind of
story because it is commonly happening even in real life. Puppy love, a love
felt by a person but doesn’t last long.
Just like on what happened to me before. I had many crushes and I can’t
count this on my hands and I even forgot who they are. Maybe it’s just an
infatuation but there’s a boy that I really admired the most. I always wanted
to see him and even just in simple things, he makes me happy. He was my grade 8 classmate but because it’s just a puppy love, I learned to forget my feelings for him. We are now best friends and sharing each other’s story about our life
and crushes. That’s why nothing is permanent and life is a continuous cycle.
The
plot of the story goes well and it follows the plot line, from the beginning of
the story where characters living their childhood in San Jacinto until the war
and they grown up and had their distinctive lives. The exposition of the story gives introduction
about the life of the characters including the main character. Jacobo Salcedo
comes from a poor family in the town of San Jacinto and he lives with his
father and mother before the war. Jacobo’s father raised fighting cocks and his
mother sells in the market, also plays jueteng. His childhood best friend is
Lito Garcia, Gina’s older brother. Gina Garcia loves to read romance novels.
They both mestizo and mestiza who
belonged to a very rich family in the town. They go to the same public
school to learn and play together. In rising action wherein the conflict in the
story is starting to reveal, Jacobo Salcedo gets attracted with Gina Garcia and
falls in love at a very young age. He wanted to go often in Gina’s house just
to play and see her pretty face. But when the war came they were separated. In
the climax of the story or the most exciting part is when Jacobo accompanied
his personal acquaintances in the Bayside and he saw Gina. Even Gina didn’t
reveal her real identity, Jacobo assures it was her. After how many times
conversing and dancing with Gina in the club, he invited her to have a lunch
with him. Jacobo would have date with Gina at long last. That was the perfect
time together with Gina. But Jacobo had to leave on a sudden business trip for
a month. In falling action wherein the conflict is starting to resolve is when,
Jacobo got married with Jenny, a manila girl who studied college in California
and looked like Gina. Jacobo learned to love Jenny truly and had three children
with her. Jenny reads the morning papers; a woman made an ultimate punishment
on her errant husband and died of blood loss. As Jacobo looked at the paper, he
saw the face of Gina and the memories of the past alive again. Even she looks
older; he never forgets her sparkling eyes. In resolution of the story wherein
the conflict is will finally resolve when Jacobo goes to the prison to see and
help Gina. She rejected the help of Jacobo because she was guilt. Jacobo
started to reminisce from the past and revealed to Gina about his puppy love. His
lasting memory for the daughter of the richest man in town before. The little
girl which he fell in love with but, it’s now only a memory from the past.
In
the characters of the story, Jacobo Salcedo is the main character in the story
because the whole story is almost talking about his life. He is known as Jake.
He is a peasant boy who lives in a bamboo house at San Jacinto. Jacobo knows
how to appreciate things even though his family is poor and their house is not
built in bricks. At a young age, he falls in love and even he is young he is a
wide thinker that everything might change even his love for Gina “It lasted oh so long-to this very day, as a
matter of fact, when in my middle age and in my decrepit state, it should have
withered and died” (1). As time pass by, Jacobo
doesn’t forget Gina until he become a successful business man and he is
determined to find Gina. I do believe that even time passes there’s someone in
our life that we would never forget because of the memories we’ve been through
with them. He is determined to work hard as he is entrusted of his Carlos
Cobello whereas he owes a lot. Just like myself, as my parents working hard and
sacrificing to raise me I always keep in mind their hardships because it
motivates me to do good as well. Jacobo is also a person who is not easy to
give up and knows how to understand people.
Even though there’s a time that he should tell the truth to Gina about
himself in the club he prefers to keep quiet because he doesn’t want her to
feel embarrassed. He is a responsible businessman with priorities for he
prefers to attend his business trip even he knows Gina is waiting for him in
Alberti to have their date. He learned to forget and accept new love. Jacobo
married with Jenny and learned to love her with their three children. In our
life there are some reasons why there are chances that we meet people who have
been part of our lives but sometimes it’s just it. Since in the story there are
chances for them to see each other still, they are not fate to be together. We
cannot force our feelings because it may change. The other
character, Gina Garcia is a mestiza younger sister of Lito Garcia which
whom Jacobo Salcedo falls in love with. She loves to read novels especially
romances and her favourite book to read is Wuthering Heights. As I notice, her
attitude influenced a lot by reading romances novels. Just like what he did to
his childhood friend Jacobo. He kissed Jacobo at a young age and keeps to her
mind about the kind of husband she wants as she grows up. She belongs in a rich
family in the town of San Jacinto but she doesn’t hesitate to play and interact
to the peasant boy Jacobo. It shows that social ladder is not a hindrance to share
happiness and memories. Gina lost their wealth due to war and his father debts.
She works in a club and become a hostess. Nothing is permanent and lasts for a
long time. We don’t know what will be our life tomorrow but, we are the one who
creates our destiny. Even if we’re in our downfall the key to surpass it is in
our hands. We have our choices to make our lives better. There are so many ways
to success and we should protect our dignity. Lito Garcia is a mestizo best friend of
Jacobo. He belongs in a rich family in town. Even his rich enough he likes to
play and doing assignments with Jacobo. Just like Gina he doesn’t hesitate to
interact with the peasant boy Jacobo. As he is the older brother of Gina, he
should not let Gina work in a club and leads Gina into a good work. Carlos
Cobello is a rich friend and boss of Jacobo Salcedo that helps him to be
successful. He is a kind of person that willing to help a person who in
needs. He is a good influence to Jacobo
to become a better person in life. Jenny is an understanding wife of Jacobo.
She understands Jacobo’s past and motivates their child to become independent
like Jacobo before. She is a kind of wife that would do everything to fulfil
the happiness of her husband.
The
setting of the story explains well by the author. The setting states from the
past event during Spaniards that’s why people belong in rich family like Gina
and Lito learned to speak Spanish until the Japanese war came. Even Jacobo
belong in a poor family and his house is made from a bamboo; his personality is
different from where he belongs. He knows how to respect and understand other
people until he gets old. The story also states the present happenings about
the lives of the characters.
The
story is told from the first person. The main character is the one who’s
telling in the story. He tells about he’s life and how he’s love for the other
character started and ends up. I think the author used first person as the
point of view in order to explain and discuss well about the main characters
thoughts, feelings and etc. The information told in the story is more reliable
because it comes from the main character who usually stating about himself.
The
title of the story Puppy Love suggests itself to the theme of the story which
is “Nothing Lasts Forever”, Jacobo fell in love with Gina at a young age and
it lasted for a long time until he grows up, but still he ended up marrying
with another woman Jenny. He becomes faithful and loyal as he learned to love
Jenny. Also in our life, best opportunity is not often comes and in the story
there’s an opportunity or chances that they will be together but Jacobo did not
make it. But no matter what happens, even they are not destined with each
other; life must go on because there’s someone who will knock and open our
hearts that we are willing to accept and love.
