CRITIQUE PAPER

  PUPPY LOVE:A CRITIQUE PAPER

            Puppy Love, written by Francisco Sionil Jose, is a must-read short story. It’s a plain statement so I’ll provide 10 reasons why. First, Jose is able to make a clear description of the setting of the story. I can give a 100% assurance that the reader would not get lost as he read the story because everything is well-stated and every detail is properly placed. Second, Puppy Love depicts Filipino cultures and traditions. I highlighted a paragraph from the story as a support to my claim. “My father raised fighting cocks and sometimes I thought he loved those roosters more than my mother and me for he was always with them, stroking them. He also liked liquor, usually Ginebra San Miguel. He was very pleasant even when he lost in the cockpit, which was almost always. He would come home with a dead bird which would end up in the pot. Mother work hard selling fish and salt in the market, waking up early to get her share from the supplier. She also sold jueteng bets” (1). He is able to include Filipino brand such as the Ginebra San Miguel which has become part of the Filipino identity. Third, Jose is able to evoke a feeling of ease within me when the narrator said the story “In small towns such as San Jacinto where there are no Catholic schools for the rich, the children of both tenant and landlord go to the same public school where, as children, most of them are barefoot. It is in these schools where the idea of class is dispelled as the rich and the poor kids learn and play together” (2).  This somehow gives me hope that we could avoid discrimination among social class which is a must especially in today’s generation. Fourth, I love how Jose introduced the story on the last paragraph of the first page. His segue perfectly fits the place where it is stated. He was able to make me understand what the Puppy Love is all about little by little which is good because the information doesn’t overload. Fifth, it is interesting because he mentions existing places in the Philippines and outside its parameters throughout the story. Being a reader, it makes me think that it might be a true-to-life story because of the facts present in the story. Sixth, the point of view is indeed consistent from the very beginning up to the end. Well, the author can change the point of views but having Jacobo as the narrator all throughout makes the story unique. It makes me think what does Gina feel? Doesn’t she, at least once, realize that it is Jacobo whom she is talking with? Seventh, Jose makes me feel the pain. He is able to evoke the feeling of regret that what if Gina confessed a little earlier? Would they end up together? I can feel the trouble of being twisted by fate. This, I think, makes Jose an effective writer because he can change how the reader feels as he read the story. Eighth, this short story never gets old and we can all relate because it doesn’t just talk about puppy love itself. It also talks about friendship, family, career, education and how does night life works. It is amazing that Jose is able to include so many topics without confusing the reader. Ninth, it will make us believe in the power of love that it knows no distance, time and place. It makes me realize that love drives us to do things we didn’t know we could. And love, no other things could ever equate its value. And lastly, Puppy Love written by Francisco Sionil Jose suggests that puppy love isn’t just for children, it can last up to adulthood although no one is certain about what the future may bring. It is a twist because when you read the title, you will think that “ah, puppy love. It is about childhood love” but when you finished reading, it will make you think again.

            The line that captured my interest most is “How could two very young people get to know the arcane ways of loving, caring? I did not know then what love was but I did know feeling - unexpressed, compulsive - and this I had a lot for Gina. I looked at her, the fine profile, the angelic face, the beginnings of her breasts. I wanted to hold her like I did when we were dancing but all I could do was mumble, "Gina, I like looking at you"” (4). I ask myself the same question.

            Jose’s a great writer. He doesn’t just entertain through his story, he also gives a glimpse to reality which enables the reader to relate to it. Another good note is the lessons aren’t directly stated which makes the reader analyze and contemplate about it.

            Indeed, Puppy Love can be a story for all ages and of all ages. It won’t grow old and become outmoded for the concept of love never gets old too! 

SHORT STORY

MURDER IN AYUNGON

(AYUNGON IS A PLACE IN NEGROS ORIENTAL DERIVED FROM "AYUNG", A DEAF MAN AND "DUNGON", A TREE. THIS SHORT STORY IS ABOUT UNHEARD CRY OF AN ACHING HEART AND LATE REMORSE.)

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!” a trebling shout from a female student shocked the Ayungon Secondary School. Mrs. Zamora, a Social Studies teacher, immediately went to the basement.

“What happened? What happened?” she exclaimed as she reach the basement. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” She also screamed when she saw the dead body of a girl, bathing with her own blood. Anastacia, the student who first saw the body is trembling in fear and her tears are continuously flowing on her cheeks.

“Maam, that’s E-Eliza-beth” Anastacia said between her tears. She is gasping for breath and she looks miserable right now. She is clueless of who might have done this hideous crime. Anastacia’s clouded with her thoughts. It hasn’t been a month since the last crime in Ayungon Secondary School. A boy named Marcelino was also found dead on the basement which happened to be Anastacia's first encounter with a dead body. Marcelino was Elizabeth’s boyfriend while Anastacia was Elizabeth’s best friend. Seeing her friends’ dead bodies makes her intestines up-side-down. She couldn’t take it. She couldn’t accept what is happening. Is she in a dream? If she is, she wants to wake up from it. She tried to slap herself only to find out that what’s happening is real. This is no dream!

The Principal’s Office is filled with people concerned in the case. The policemen, investigators, parent of Elizabeth, Mrs. Zamora and Anastacia makes the small room crowded.

“Marcelino’s murder case isn’t cleared yet and now there’s a new case?!” the principal yowled in despair. The bags under her eyes are turning dark, showing how stress she is since Marcelino’s death. 

“Inspector, what have you found?” she asked as she turned her gaze on to Inspector Dalisay.

The inspector cleared his throat before he speaks. “We are looking on to the angle of suicide. According to the yesterday’s investigation, Marcelino was Elizabeth’s boyfriend for three years…” inspector also did an interrogation with Anastacia. According to her, before she found out Elizabeth’s body, she received a message from her saying “Ana, please come over here. I’m at the basement and I couldn’t carry alone the props that we are going to use for the dance festival” so she hurriedly went to the basement and there she found Elizabeth’s body. “According to Anastacia, Elizabeth was in grief for the past few weeks. She tried very hard to cheer her friend up but that, to no avail, did not help at all. So Elizabeth, she must be suffering from depression” The inspector explained.

A week had passed and the two consecutive deaths of two students still haunt Ayungon Secondary School. The basement is temporarily closed while the investigation is on-going. Anastacia couldn’t sleep well at night. She vividly remembers the image of her friends’ dead bodies. She’s being troubled by what happened a year ago. It was also in the basement where they tricked Pablo Dela Paz, Elizabeth’s former suitor. Who would be attracted to a guy who’s thin and pale? Pablo’s smart but he wasn’t the boyfriend-for-display type so she chose Marcelino. Back at the basement, Anastacia could exactly recall what they did Pablo.

“Pablo, I’m so sorry but I couldn’t just choose you.” Elizabeth whispered on Pablo’s ears. Her tone was teasing, indicating that Pablo won’t ever be loved by any other girls romantically. Elizabeth didn’t know that she was torturing Pablo through her words. Who would know? Pablo kept his mouth shut while Marcelino was beaming as he gave his scrutinizing look to him. Anastacia, on the other hand, was also beaming beside Marcelino. Marcelino also reported to the principal that Pablo was harassing Elizabeth at the basement and Anastacia couldn’t do anything because after all, Pablo may look weak but he is still a man.

Anastacia suddenly became fully awake as she reminisced what they did to Pablo. Could it be possible that a dead man is taking his revenge? She thought. “It can’t be!! IT CANNOT BE!” she whispered underneath her breath and began to panic. No matter how hard she tries to calm her system down, it couldn’t be helped! Her own thought is giving her goose bumps and it is making her imagine unpleasant things. She placed her hands on her face and began to cry. Her conscience is bugging her for not speaking up for Pablo during the investigation. If it is true that they are being ghosted by Pablo, her eyes widened with the thought “I might be the next!”

Meanwhile, Maria Aquino couldn’t keep her smile to herself. She’s a no one in Ayungon Secondary School just like the late Pablo Dela Paz. She isn’t being bullied nor being befriended. Her presence or absence doesn’t make any difference which is good. She doesn’t like attention, thus, she gives attention to those people who badly needs it.

The next morning, Anastacia received a message from an unregistered number saying “You are not being ghosted. Oh, don’t tremble yet! Justice is just being served. You want to know who am I? Please come over at the basement. I will be there, 5pm. Bring no cop or I’ll bring your dead body to the cops. See you!” She could hardly breathe and began to excrete greater amount of sweat. She couldn’t think straight. She might get killed if she goes there alone or the policemen would know what they did to Pablo if she, by any chance, asks assistance from the authority. But she’s more afraid to have her image disgraced rather than the possible encounter with death.

Anastacia have prayed Our Father for the nth time now but her heart still beats like it’s on a race. Upon reaching the middle part of the basement, she saw a woman facing the opposite direction. She could hardly see the woman’s face but she’s certain that she’s now with the killer.

“Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!” she had the guts to ask. The woman chuckled and it gave her goose bumps. The woman slowly turned until she’s face to face with Anastacia. “Maria? Ma-Maria A-quino??” Her breathing becomes heavy as Maria’s smile becomes creepier. She couldn’t deny Maria’s resemblance to Pablo. But how come they carry different surnames? She’s now bombarded with different questions and she doesn’t know whether she would get those questions answered.

“Oh, didn’t my brother tell you that she has a twin sister?” she asked without breaking the smile on her lips. “Poor me, I wasn’t introduced. Oh, if ever he planned to tell you about me, would you have listened?” sarcasm was all over Maria’s voice while Anastacia, she’s still dumbfounded. “Hmm, maybe not? You only listen to boys who looks sizzling hot like, uhhm..” Maria acts as if she is thinking. “.. Oh yeah! Like Marcelino, right?!”

“Maria, p-please. D-don’t do this to me” Anastacia pleaded to Maria who’s now walking towards her with a knife on her right hand.

“Please?? Wow. What a wonderful word to hear! Your tone doesn’t differ from Marcelino’s and Elizabeth’s! Indeed, birds of the same feather..” Maria is now at Anastacia’s front. She leaned further towards Anastacia’s ears and whispered “..flocks together” Anastacia growled in pain as she felt the edge of the knife on her internal organs. While Maria, after immediately cleaning herself up gave a trebling shout and again, Mrs. Zamora arrived.