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. –
In my own way, I would describe the persona as a little one who was petrified of his broad shouldered father
and to anyone who was on the similar figures like his father. However, that little one is not that fully obedient
towards his father. Sometimes he does stuffs that might get his father to the verge of anger. On the other road,
the persona's father was being described as an individual with an authority who serves the nation or to put it
simply, a military official who was strict both to his family and to the people he works with. But despite of his
strictness, among the inferiors in his work, he still manages to pay respect to the person who’s even more
superior to him- his boss so- called Apo. My relationship towards my father is somehow alike to the
relationship of the persona to his father. I too, am afraid of my father because of his strictness and to the extent
that he might scold me if I do something wrong. Furthermore, just like the child, I do not always follow my
father, if I do not follow him, I do it in secret in order for him not to notice what I had done that might cause
him anger.
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 your understanding of
the relationship between father and son?
-The word snappy means to be able to move quickly while being marked by vigor. On the contrary, snapped
means to utter sharp biting words. These words added flavor to the poem in terms of sound which had helped
this poem to evoke reader’s images by including words that sounds similarly. These words had helped me to
even more understand the attitude of the father towards obeying 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 a green uniform with colored breastplates which means
that he is a military official. Moreover, one can think that the picture on the wall was an influential individual
that is even more superior to the father for his picture to be hang in an office. Furthermore, military officials
considers the president as their master. Therefore, 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 us about
the father's perspective about martial law?
-Apo was an influential person upon the persona's father. Additionally, the persona's father has a great respect
upon Apo. Their connection was like more of a master to a servant relationship because of how they are linked
to one another in terms of work, meaning they have common objective and moving in a common direction.
Their relationship tells me that the father's perspective about martial law was just right for it to be
implemented. However, I noticed a line where it implies that when he saw his son sneaking out to his office, he
quickly forbid his son, which implies to my senses that he doesn’t want his son to be like him who is an
antagonist of the people’s freedom. However, martial law that time was maybe that scary for an outstanding
official to be embedded by an unjust governing of the president.
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?
-The persona's father want to teach his child the importance of what it means to obey orders and rules.
Additionally, the father tells the persona that in order to be called a real man one must be strong and brave,
enough to protect one’s territory. If I were to be asked about these values, I don't think that those
characteristics are what it takes to be a real grown up man. In my stand, real man are those who apply to their
selves the vision of paying respect to other people, of protecting the women, elderly and the children, those
who take responsibility for their actions, and a man of his words, which means he has a fair perspective about
people’s doings like believing that wrong is wrong despite of having a gun pointed in his head. In my
perspective, if a man follows orders, strong and brave, it does not really mean that they are already a man.
Because being a man one must possess the capabilities of being able to respect and protect others, being
responsible and a man who can withstand his own views.
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 always watch the Persona's every move, following and looking at him.
Both of them, seems to be watching all the movements of everybody 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 to people who doesn't
follow rules. And also, the persona is petrified 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?
- That line gave me chills or should I say somewhat like a threat that says “Kid, I know your every move. One
wrong, you’re dead!” something like that. The persona was a young one so it’s natural for him to move the
way he wants but because of the things that are in his surroundings, he tends to be very particular in his every
move. He feels like that somebody is always watching over him and knows his every move and those reasons
are maybe held responsible for the child’s way now of expressing his self.
9. Do you think the persona's perspective about the martial law is the same with his father's? Why or why not?
-I think the persona's perspective about the martial law is far different from his father's. First of all, his father
follows regulations strictly as per needed in his responsibility. Unlike his father, the persona doesn't always
follow rules as he was a kid and that’s a nature response. Secondly, his father was snappy like a soldier and
hardworking, whereas the persona in the poem was afraid of authority figures, like his father.
10. How does this poem provides the reader a glimpse of what martial law was like? How did the poem made
you feel?
-The poem had lifted me up to the other dimension where I can picture things that had possibly happen during
the repressive reigning of Marcos. It showed me a glance of the people’s suffering during those times that
everyone was alarmed and afraid of the soldiers during the Martial Law and it was like they were always being
watched over. A line in the poem says "There's no place for a boy, only men" which implies that during the
Martial Law there is no room for those who cannot protect their selves and are considered as weak and
frightened people. Only the strong and brave men are considered real men and has a space in the society. The
poem made me feel what it was it like during those times wherein you need to follow strict commands and that
your movements were being watched and limited.