PUPPY LOVE by Francisco Sionil José (CRITIQUE PAPER)

PLOT:

           

The author started his story by introducing the characters. He first mentioned Jacobo Salcedo or Jake then after him was Gina with his brother Lito and a friend of him also. Jacobo stated the social status of his friend that is from way, way below on the social ladder of him. On the second paragraph, he states what money can buy and how it is used that it can buy an honor.
            Lito and he are friends even they aren't on the same status and they often played truant, swimming in the creek, fishing, and catching frogs because he believe that children are bonded together not by racial affinity but by shared experience. Since he was in Lito's house quite often, Gina, Lito's younger sister often played with them. Month of December, he had gone to the Garcia's house although he knew Lito had gone elsewhere when in fact, he wanted to see Gina and that is when they realized that they are attracted to each other. Returning to their house that early afternoon, he was surprised to see people in their yard then later on he realized that his father died because of a rooster or an accident. Two days afterwards, the war began. Gina and her family fled to their farm and her entire family went to Manila while Jacobo went to the city to live with an uncle who was working as a janitor at the Ateneo and he also worked in exchange for his schooling.

            He studied law and it was at the law college that he had the very good fortune of meeting Carlos Cobello, heir to the Cobello fortune. When Jacobo topped the bar examination, he will took on Cobello’s firm. All is getting smooth but he will never forget Gina because as what Jake said, Gina is always a living throb in his chest. He always find Gina even in San Jacinto, but one time he never expected that he will find her at the Bayside wearing that green dress. Even though those years have passed, he knew that it is always her. They had a chance to reconcile, but the destiny is not always with them and they did not meet that time because Jake went to Frankfurt for a month.

            In life, not all things are in favor of what we want.just like in the story, Jacobo and Gina are not destined with each other. When Gina is imprisoned, that is the day when Jacobo confessed that he is her childhood sweetheart-- the one who’s being kissed in a rattan basket. But it’s too late for them because Jake has Jenny and they have a family.

            I think this story is an eye-opener that there are things that aren’t meant for each other. Especially for us, we are blinded of the things we want that even it is not for us we force to have it.

CHARACTERS:

·         Jacobo Salcedo or Jake- a successful and rich lawyer and a childhood sweetheart of Gina. Even his father is not that good, he even managed to go to school.

·         Gina Garcia- she came from a rich family in San Jacinto but lost their wealth during war. She is a childhood sweetheart of Jacobo and later on due to loss of their wealth, she became a hostess.

·         Lito Garcia- a humble brother of Gina and a friend of Jacobo. Even he knows that they aren’t on the same social status, they are being friends.

·         Jenny- Jacobo’s wife. Jake found similarities of Gina with her that’s why eventually he learned how to love Jenny as her wife.

SETTING:

The story takes place in town of San Jacinto in Pangasinan.

THEME OR LITERARY MOTIFF:

Don’t rush things and don’t settle for the things that are temporary. Even though that the love of Jacobo lasted for so many years, still he ended up marrying another girl (Jenny) whom he didn’t love at first but soon, he learned to love him more.