This story by José García Villa provides a stark warning about the consequences of marrying too young. A seventeen-year-old Filipino boy from a poor farming family insists on marrying his girlfriend. Whatever his reason (love, tradition, desire for independence), neither is happy in the marriage. Amid the daily grind of farm life and the responsibilities of raising a family, both experience disillusionment and regret. Sadly, the cycle begins again when their oldest son turns eighteen. Themes include immaturity, impulsiveness, the romance vs. reality of marriage, lack of fulfilment, disillusionment, regret, the cyclical nature of life. More…