Keeping Quiet

EX.A.
Q1: What does the title of the poem suggest to you? What do you
think the poem is about?
Ans: The title of the poem suggests the importance of silence.
The poem is about the importance of self-examination and
introspection. It is also an appeal for universal harmony.

Q2: What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us

achieve?
Ans: Counting up to twelve takes very short time. Keeping still for this
brief interval of time gives us a momentary pause to introspect and
review the course of action. It is generally observed that most of the
ills and troubles of the world are caused by our rush or hurry. Violence
is caused by anger. Keeping quiet and still will give us necessary
respite and ensure peace promoting brotherhood.

Q2: Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?
Ans: No, he doesn't advocate either total inactivity or death. He
makes it quite clear that 'stillness' should not be confused with 'total
inactivity' or equated to it. Total inactivity brings death. But Neruda has
'no truck with death'. His stillness means halting of harmful and hostile
human activities.

Q3: What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem?
Ans: The poet refers to the 'sadness' of failing to understand oneself
in the monotonous every day existence. He also finds it sad that
humanity is moving towards its own ruin owing to its unanalyzed
actions. He regrets the rush of outdoing others that has made us
forget the values of humanity.

Q4: What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that
there can be life under apparent stillness?
Ans: The poet uses nature as a symbol to explain his idea that there
can be life under apparent stillness. An example from nature is the
Earth itself as it might seem dead for a while but just the next moment
it gives birth to trees.

EX.B. Short answer type questions.

Q1. Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in “Keeping
Quiet”?
Ans. The poet refers to the moment of stillness and quietness as an
exotic moment because it will initiate peace and brotherhood. There
would be no movement, no talk, no activity and consequently no
violence.

Q2. What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem?
What is Neruda's attitude towards these wars?
Ans. The poet writes about wars against humanity and nature. Green
wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with fire are the kinds of
wars mentioned in the poem. Neruda's attitude towards wars is one of
rejection. He feels that such wars may bring victory, but there are no
survivors to celebrate the victory at the end.

Q.3. 6 Which images in the poem 'Keeping Quiet' show that the poet
condemns violence?

Ans The images of fishermen not harming the whales in the sea and
wars leaving behind no survivors to celebrate victory show that the
poet condemns violence. The poet's refusal to have any association or
dealings with death also shows that he is not in favour of any form of
violence.

Q.4.How can suspension of activities help?

Ans Suspension of activities will give people time to introspect and
analyse their actions. This will help them in solving their problems and
conflicts. They will develop a new understanding and hence will mend
their destructive ways.

Q.5. The world has become a global village and people across
boundaries, nationalities and communities are now connected to one
another. With the advancement of technology, and the advent of social
media, do you think that the task of keeping quiet, as envisaged by
Neruda, has become easier or more complicated? Justify your stance.

Ans. It is precisely because we are more connected than ever before

that the task of keeping quiet has become more complicated. Earlier, it
was possible to divide day and night activities but now everything is on
for twenty-four hours whether that is the media or the internet.
Keeping quiet is necessary but also more difficult at this time.

EX.C.
Q.1. The last two years of school tend to be about planning for life after
school. This can be motivating, overwhelming or encouraging for some and
stressful for others. Write a diary entry recording your thoughts on the
following:

Neruda's ideas in 'Keeping Quiet' as a guide in this situation.

Thinking differently about your decisions with reference to Neruda's

'Keeping Quiet'.

Ans

Dear Diary

I reflected on something today. This reflection did not come out of the blue.
It came about deliberately after reading the poem 'Keeping Quiet' by Pablo
Neruda. In the poem, the poet promoted stillness and quietness for self
reflection. Now, you know how I have been confused about my future
career and life. So, I decided to follow the technique suggested by Neruda.
And it worked.

I locked myself in the study and just thought what I liked doing, whether I
will be able to make my life in the field and how will I go about it. It took me
some days of research and thinking.

But now I have a solution. I want to pursue hotel management and convert
our old ancestral haveli into a hotel business. I know the decision will not
be met with optimism but I have thought about it as well. Now, I will take
your leave.
XYZ

Q.2. It could be said that the poem 'Keeping Quiet' presents the poet's
philosophy for a different kind of world.

If you were asked to highlight elements of Neruda's vision that resonate in

your specific social, political and cultural context, which three main ideas
would you engage with? Use relevant textual details to support your
analysis.

Ans. Pablo Neruda imagines a beautiful world in which silence and stillness
becomes a regular part of one's life and which increases understanding of
oneself and reduces environmental conflict and war. Neruda's vision can be
adopted into a social, political and cultural context in the following ways.
The first is Neruda's suggestion of keeping quiet which can be adopted into
the social context of a school curriculum.

Students can devote 30 minutes of silence in a week which could be spent

in a library or meditation hall. They would be taught to be still and silent
under any circumstances.

Second, Neruda's suggestion of stillness can be suggested to political

parties who can incorporate them into their political doctrine. Third, at a
cultural level, stillness and silence can be adopted at a grassroots level
movement starting with Stillness Clubs (where people go to stay still and be
silent) for the public which can then be replicated in companies and
neighbourhoods.

Ideally, stillness and silence should be taught at home and from there, it
should spread all over the world.

Q.3. What kind of an imaginary and ideal world does the poet visualise?

Ans The poet longs for a calm, quiet and peaceful world, devoid of all forms
of violence, as he visualises 'togetherness' of the people in a moment of
silence and peace. According to the poet, this moment will give us time in
silence for self-introspection. It will bring in a moment when we can
spiritually attain our moral self through a moment of meditation.
This moment will bring an end to all destructive activities in the world. The
fishermen will not be killing whales and the men gathering salt will have
time to rest their injured hands. Environmental degradation will come to an
end. The warmongers will be silenced in a moment of brotherhood to
meditate and cleanse their souls. The poet hopes that it will be an ideal
world where man will be able to come out from his self-centred attitude to
gain moral peace.