A Trip down memory lane-The Five Snapshots

FIR RB# 6
Title of story read: The Five Snapshots
Author: Lina Flor
Page nos. read: 5
Date read: July 23, 2010

Lina Flor is actually one of the most neglected Filipino writers in her generation, which is unfair because, even though she has a unique way of writing short stories(for instance, a personal favorite of mine is her short story called the Five Snapshots, which will be my topic in this blog), the public has failed to notice her works, whether because she was a female writer(back then, women aren't that much noticed as good writers), or the critics aren't reading hard enough.
But in the twenty-first century, new Filipino critics and writers look back from the past to see that no talented writer gets left behind and actually shares Lina Flor's short story through a collection of short stories from other writers from the old to the new, together with other notable writers, such as Nick Joaquin, Cristina Pandoja Hidalgo(another favorite), Jessica Zafra, among others.

The (unique) story
The story is all about the lives of five best friends: Mina, Letty, Jo, Lydia and Teeny, and their stories are written in a mini-biography style, with the narrator of the story being actually one of them. The time and setting of the story first takes from their graduation day from High School to college to their careers.
The first mini-biography tells about Mina, the leader of the group and the most beautiful, although the narrator points out that Jo was actually the biggest(which it is sometimes the advantage for a fearsome leader)in the group and Lydia being the oldest(meaning she has more experience). But the narrator continues to point out that Mina was destined to be the group's leader because she was very intelligent and every action she makes is done fairly and without prejudice. Her beauty, another factor for her leadership, is not actually the envy of others but is the very thing that inspires everyone.
Mina is an only child of a rich widower and was the apple of his eye, though Mina knows this and does not take advantage of it to become spoiled. During the end of the graduation, Mina--who was overseas--had sent each letter from her friends to ask what their plans will be after college. Jo's letter came first and it said she has plans to got to medicine school and become a doctor, which was delightful news. Next was Lydia's, who was the oldest in the group. Her letter simply said that she isn't going to college anymore and had actually decided to marry her long-time boyfriend and would be busy to make the things for her future child with him. Then there was Letty's, and her letter simply said that she wasn't sure if she will continue her studies because her family doesn't have enough money to get her to a college. The last was from Teeny, who's letter said that she was going to a Normal School to become a teacher, though she didn't want to be one for her interest was on painting. Her parents told her that if she wanted to become an artist, she will just need to make a salary of her own so she could afford it herself. Wishing them all luck, Mina goes back to the Philippines only to realize that she will not be able to continue her own studies herself because she had fallen in love with a man she met overseas. Deciding to elope, being approved from her father herself, she got married, lived with him and lived happily ever after. When her baby was born, her best friend Lydia gave her a present for her baby, which are clothes she made herself.
Next was Lydia's story. Being the oldest and most ambitious, she was in love with her boyfriend and had decided to elope with him, as he is already a working man. After the graduation, she immediately set on to work on being a housewife and was talented in making clothes, especially to her soon-to-be made baby. Unfortunately, just after getting married, things didn't work out for Lydia as she got into a quarrel with her husband(the details were never made clear in the story itself). After separating with him, she gave away all that she made--the clothes for her baby, recipes, etc.--with most of them to her best friend, Mina, who has her own child now.
Soon enough, Lydia joined a convent instead and was a Postulant. In later years, her friends Mina, Jo and Letty(their other friend, Teeny, couldn't make it as she was sick), waved goodbye to her as she took her steps to the aisle and into the church, to become one of the sisters.
The third story is from Teeny, a shy, timid girl who is often teased to be a cry-baby. Despite her fragile personality and physicality(as the nickname implies, since she is actually very small), she was gifted in drawing. She often told her friends that someday she would become a painter, but when college came, she instead went to Normal School to become a teacher and never realized her dreams. Being so serious about her studies, she forgot to take care of herself and became more sickly. When Lydia entered the convent, she offered prayers to Teeny so that she may be better. But fate became unfair as Teeny dies unexpectedly.
The fourth story goes to Letty, a girl of immense popularity. In school, she was very active in all the extra-curricular activities, especially in singing. Although her parents had no money, talent scouts and some from her music teachers as well knew she had talent, and soon enough, this became an opportunity to her to hone her talent. Letty herself never dreamed that she could actually use her voice to become a new star from inside and outside the country. But despite all the glamour that she now has, according to her friends, she once had a romance with a man. They both love each other, and the man proposed to her to marry him. But unfortunately, she declined and went to Italy instead to study her music and eventually marries an Italian guy. It is often said by Letty's friends' letters that the man is still in love with her and refuses to not miss any of her concerts, while his new wife never accompanies him.
The last is Jo's. She was the biggest among the five and is actually playing the role of 'mother' in the group. Being a compassionate person, she realized that the best way to share that was being a doctor, which she had told to one of her letters to Mina. Little is known about her love life as she was too down-to earth and too practical to see men. After she graduates from medicine school, she immediately opened a small clinic that she facilitates herself.
It is revealed in the end of the story that she was the narrator, as she owned the five snapshots of their High School graduation and wrote short stories in her free time...

My Insights
I very appreciate the story so much because the story is very related on how each and everyone of us plans our future and meets the most unexpected twists and obstacles along the way.
For Mina, it was such a disappointment that she never continued her studies(she, too, wanted to be a doctor, just like Jo) as she married her lover, but I can see that she was actually the luckiest character, even though she didn't continue college.
As for Lydia, I found her to be typical and naive to fall in 'love' immediately with her boyfriend and never thought about anything at what she does. When she went to the convent, I thought that she might have given up marrying men and went to the church instead, but this might not have any holy reasons for joining said group. Although she might have them now as she was committed to stay in the convent.
For Teeny, I was very sympathetic about her because she dies without even given a chance to make her dreams come true as an artist, though I also find her slightly pathetic as she cannot overcome her frailty.
For Letty, I think she was the luckiest character, besides Mina, to become a sensational star across the seas. I see her to be an opportunist as well as she had chosen her dreams instead of marrying a man who is obsessed with her.
Then lastly is Jo. I think she is the most mysterious as the story never reveals too much about her personal quest of how she became a doctor(well, she was the narrator of the story, a big twist!). But I had also found her to be heartwarming, as she writes stories about her friends, which I can relate to her, because writers express their works through their experiences and I find Jo's story as a reflection of how she never forgets her past.