CRITIQUE PAPER

(Puppy Love by Francisco S. Jose)

       The short story “Puppy Love” by Francisco Sionil Jose is all about unfortunate love of two main character named Jacobo Salcedo and Gina Garcia.

                  The story begin when Jacobo was fell in love to Gina Garcia, the younger sister of his friend Lito Garcia. Since their childhood, Jacobo has feeling to Gina but he keep it because of the doubt that Gina belongs to a very rich family in their town while he is poor. But he doesn’t see it as a problem but a motivation to pursue his dream besides he also have an inspiration like Gina. As the story flows the conflict in the story was inserted when Jacobo Salcedo and Gina Garcia was separated by the war during Japanese time, the family of Gina moved to Manila because their houses burn out and lost their wealth and fortune. But despite from what happens, Jacobo didn’t stop dreaming and keeping his goal in life so he study really hard even though Gina was not on his sight just to achieve his goal to become a successful lawyer someday, until he finally achieve it with hardwork and confidence. As the time pass by Jacobo Salcedo was slowly become rich and rich but then Gina was the opposite one. Their destiny cross each other and Jacobo meet Gina but the new Gina. She is now working as a hostess in a night club in Manila, instead of being ashamed with Gina, Jacobo still love her just like the good old days. He thought that it was the chance to get Gina’s heart so as the day pass by spending a couple of time in the night club that was the time to slowly getting chance to catch her feelings but the next event was the most exciting part. When Jacobo know the news about Gina was imprison because of the violent she committed. Afterward, Jacobo visit Gina and then tell her the truth including the true feelings of him to her and the imposture he make. But the feelings of Gina was never be the same as what Jacobo feels and there is no way to change her feeling but to accept it. Now they have their own life to start over again.

            Since the story was in the form of traditional plot with: Beginning, rising action, climax, falling action and denouement, the author used literary device like Flashback to introduce the beginning of love between the two characters named Jacobo Salcedo and Gina Garcia. The diction is also present in the story where it is stated perfectly. The connotative and denotative meaning of every words is also seen in the story like the word social ladder, it has a direct meaning like their social-economic status in life the rich and poor, but it has also a deep meaning it can be used to provide a clue of what the character become in the future when they reach the top of the ladder, besides it is the same end.

            While the author put himself as one of the main character, the story has two main character named Jacobo Salcedo and Gina Gracia that played a great role in the story as one of the person belongs to poor family being inlove with the rich race family. Despite from their status in life they become friends together who was very happy to each other. Jacobo is a kind of character who was forgiven and loyal to only one girl Gina. He accept everything what it comes like accepting Gina’s despite of her misfortune. He still love Gina and continue his feelings to her. Gina Garcia is a kind of character who is very brave and courageous because despite of her condition she conquer the City to live even she put herself to risk.

                 As the narrator put himself as one of the character, the story used third person limited point of view because the author focus only on one character even though he knows the other character but he is usually use the point of view of Jacobo Salcedo. The person who actually telling the story is person who is very in love with the girl but its not the true love he expect with.

               There are a lot of theme that I modifies in the story like "First love never dies" because since Jacobo and Gina were separated by then, it doesn't matter with Jacobo because he still love Gina. The title itself tells also the hint of what are the theme, Puppy Love is love that doesn't last forever because this kind of love is just like an inspiration or there are too young to know what love truly means. But the theme that seen about it is that "Everything changes", because now a days as the time pass by ,there are many changes that may overcome even love, because its just a feelings. No intimite feelings but just a feeling of love.

                Well the story is very good and interesting because as a teenagers the feeling of love what we feel for that person is just a puppy love, its too early to us to experience true love because there is a time for everything and true love waits.