Apo On The Wall

Pocong, Kerstein Gil C. (SP – 25)

November 25, 2016

Solima, Patricia Mae P. (SP – 30)

Grade 11 – Spitzer

Apo On The Wall By: Bj Patino

Guide Questions: 1. How would you describe the persona and the persona’s father? How would you describe their relationship? Would you say that your relationship with your father is similar or different? Explain. The persona was a little child who is afraid of his father and of authority figures like his father. However, he doesn’t always follow his father even though he is afraid of him. On the other hand, the persona’s father was a military official who is strict both to his family and to the people he rules. He also has a picture of his boss in his office which means that he has a great respect to his boss. I can say that their relationship is similar to my relationship with my father. I, too, am afraid of my father because of his strictness and to the fear that he might scold me if I do something wrong. Moreover, just like the child, I do not always follow my father, however, if I do not follow him, I do it in secret in order that he cannot scold me for doing something he does not want.

2. In lines 12 and 13 in the poem, there is the use of the words “snappy” and “snapped,” respectively. What do these words mean? How do they add to the poem in terms of sound? How do they add to your understanding of the relationship of father and son? Snappy means to be able to move quickly while being marked by vigor. On the other hand, snapped means to utter sharp biting words. These words add to the poems sound by providing words that seem to be sounding similar. They aid me to understand that the father was rigorous even to his son by being particular about following the rules.

3. Who is Apo in the poem? Cite evidences to support your answer. It was stated in the poem that the father was wearing green uniform with colored breastplates which means that he was a military official. Furthermore, one can think that the picture on the wall was a powerful person for his picture to be hang in an office, then so, military

officials consider the president as their master. Consequently, Apo, in the poem, is no other than Ferdinand Marcos which was the president when Martial Law was declared. 4. How would you describe the relationship between the persona’s father and Apo? What does this tell you about the father’s perspective about martial law? Apo has a great influence upon the persona’s father. Additionally, the persona’s father has a great respect upon Apo. I can say that their connection was more of the master to servant relationship because of how they are connected to one another. Their relationship tells me that the father’s perspective about martial law is that if we work hard, we can achieve rewards. If we still work hard for our whole life, and for our efforts like the persona's father of this poem, he gained plaques, and medals for being loyal and hardworking. In my perspective, to him, martial law was a time to follow orders in order to be rewarded.

5. What kind of values does the persona’s father want to teach his child, specifically, about what it means to be a man? Do you agree with these values? Why or why not? I think the persona’s father want to teach his child the importance of following orders or rules. Additionally, the father tells the persona that in order to be a man one must be strong and brave. Personally, I do not think that those characteristics are what it takes to be a real man. For me, real men are those who respect other people, protect the women, elderly and the children, and those who take responsibility for their actions. In my perspective, if a man follows orders, strong, and brave, it does not really mean that they are already a man. Because to be a man, one must do those three things. Again, to respect, to protect, and to take responsibility.

6. Why is Apo compared to the “scary” Jesus in the hallway? What do they seem to have in common? Apo and the “scary” Jesus seemed to watch the persona’s every move, following and looking at him. Both of they seem to be watching all the moves of everyone and knowing what everyone is up to.

7. What do the father, Apo, and the “scary” Jesus have in common? The father, Apo, and the “scary” Jesus seem to know one’s every move. They are strict if one is following the rules or not. Specifically, the persona was afraid to all three of them.

8. Read the last line of the poem. What does it mean? How does this regulate the persona’s behavior?

In my opinion, the persona was the way he is because of the things that are in his surroundings. He felt that someone is always watching him, knowing his every move, maybe that is why he is afraid or that he often does things in a sneaky manner because he was always afraid that he is being watched. 9. Do you think the persona’s perspective about martial law is the same as his father’s? Why or why not? I think the persona’s perspective about martial law is far different from his father’s. First of all, his father follows regulations strictly, unlike his father, the persona doesn’t even always follow the rules of his father. Secondly, his father was snappy like a soldier and hardworking, whereas the persona in the poem was afraid of authority figures, including his father.

10. How does this poem provide the reader a glimpse of what martial law was like? How did the poem make you feel? The poem gave me the knowledge that during the Marcos government everyone was alarmed and snappy because of their fear to the soldiers during Martial Law and the poem has a line that says "There's no place for a boy, only men" that means during the Martial Law there is no place for those weak and frightened people but only to strong and brave men. The poem made me feel grateful that I am born during this time period. Additionally, it made me realize that our current government is far better than what it was like during the Martial Law. Nowadays, we are given the freewill to do whatever we want as long as we do not step on other people and as long as we do not do something illegal and morally wrong.