Coast and Life
MAIN MESSAGE
The poem “GABU” by Carlos Angeles talks about life and death. The speaker talks about how restless it is to be alive. This is because in life there is so many problems one must face to achieve one’s goals. In addition to this, life is not consistent. One cannot always be at the top or at the bottom. There will always be a point in time when one either falls or rises from their position. Even with all these inconsistencies of life, people still carry on living. But it is also because of these trials in life that living roughly is inevitable. Therefore, we can only find peace and serenity in life when we die.
SPECIFIC IDEAS/DISCUSSION
“Gabu” is an actual place along the coastline of Ilocos Norte, located in the northern parts of the Philippines. The Philippines is known to the world as one of the most dangerous places to live in due to the fact that the country plays host to multiple typhoons every year. The coast of Gabu is no exception to these catastrophes. It is one of those areas which are frequently visited by the said typhoons.
The speaker/poet made use of some symbols to represent both life and death/afterlife. He used the sea as a representation for life. This is because like the sea, we people are restless. In addition to this, life is not constant. The only consistency that there is in life is that there would be always ups and downs just like the waves that the sea makes. In turn, he used the shore as a representation for death/afterlife. This is because when the sea reaches the shore, the bashing ends and the current dissipates. Therefore there is serenity and peace just like when it comes to death.
The poem then speaks that death is inevitable. As long as there is life there is also death.
Structural elements:
Metaphor, Personification
Quote the lines that reflect the theme assigned to your group.
Where the split salt of its heart lies spread
All things forfeited are most loved and dear
It is the sea that
The poem “GABU” by Carlos Angeles talks about life and death. The speaker talks about how restless it is to be alive. This is because in life there is so many problems one must face to achieve one’s goals. In addition to this, life is not consistent. One cannot always be at the top or at the bottom. There will always be a point in time when one either falls or rises from their position. Even with all these inconsistencies of life, people still carry on living. But it is also because of these trials in life that living roughly is inevitable. Therefore, we can only find peace and serenity in life when we die.
SPECIFIC IDEAS/DISCUSSION
“Gabu” is an actual place along the coastline of Ilocos Norte, located in the northern parts of the Philippines. The Philippines is known to the world as one of the most dangerous places to live in due to the fact that the country plays host to multiple typhoons every year. The coast of Gabu is no exception to these catastrophes. It is one of those areas which are frequently visited by the said typhoons.
The speaker/poet made use of some symbols to represent both life and death/afterlife. He used the sea as a representation for life. This is because like the sea, we people are restless. In addition to this, life is not constant. The only consistency that there is in life is that there would be always ups and downs just like the waves that the sea makes. In turn, he used the shore as a representation for death/afterlife. This is because when the sea reaches the shore, the bashing ends and the current dissipates. Therefore there is serenity and peace just like when it comes to death.
The poem then speaks that death is inevitable. As long as there is life there is also death.
Structural elements:
Metaphor, Personification
Quote the lines that reflect the theme assigned to your group.
Where the split salt of its heart lies spread
All things forfeited are most loved and dear
It is the sea that