KEEPING QUIET

Q1- What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?
A1-If we count up to twelve and keep still, it will give us some time to analyze our
deeds. It will allow us some moments to think about the result of our activities.
People in the world are involved in wars and are also damaging the environment in
order to achieve their aims. Unfortunately this is taking all of us toward our own
end. So, we need to think in order to achieve peace and harmony.

Q2- Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?
A2- No, the poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity and death. He clarifies this in his
poem that he wants all the people to just stop for a while in order to analyze their
activities and their consequences. He wants human beings not to support war and
damage to the environment.

Q3- What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
A3- The sadness is the result of our own actions and deeds. According to the poet
we all are in a hurry of achieving various tasks in our life. This rush sometimes
proves dangerous for us. As we don’t analyze our actions, so we land ourselves in
a number of problems. These problems then become the reason for our sadness as
referred to in the poem.

Q4- What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be
life under apparent stillness?
A4- The poet takes the example of earth to prove that there can be life under
apparent stillness. The earth never gets inactive. We experience the change in the
seasons which brings so many different things with it. In winters, things come to a
standstill as the water bodies freeze; the trees shed their leaves, etc. But as soon as
the spring season comes, it brings with it the lovely flowers, flowing rivers and a
new life is given to the nature. So, the poet wants to convey that we should stay
calm but that doesn’t mean that it will bring total inactivity and stillness.
Q5. Why does Pablo Neruda urge us to keep still?
Ans: Stillness is essential for calm reflection and quiet introspection. We hear the
voice of conscience in moments of silence. The poet is convinced that most of
human ills and miseries are caused by man’s hurry and rush to do things. The poet
wishes that we may withdraw ourselves from our undesirable actions and keep still
for a moment.

Q6. Why shouldn’t we “speak in any language” and “not move our arms so
much”?
Ans: People of the world speak in different languages. They indulge in
unnecessary debates and disputes. Most of these arguments lead to destructive
wars. The poet urges people to stop speaking in any language. They must speak
through their hearts. So far , men have moved their arms only to harm others.
Therefore, the poet wants that they should not move their arms so much. Let these
arms rest for once. Let a feeling of mutual understanding , be created among
human beings..

Q7. Pablo Neruda says: “we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.”
When can we experience such a moment? Why will that be an exotic moment?
Ans: Non-stop activity, unnecessary rush and noise have made our lives
unpleasant and full of misery, pain and troubles. We must stop rushing, hurrying,
worrying and running. Even the noise of engines and machines must stop for once.
Then all of us will enjoy the sudden strangeness of that moment. It will be a unique
moment. In that exotic or fascinating moment we shall feel totally relaxed,
physically as well as mentally.

Q8. What does the poet ask the fisherman and the man collecting salt to do?
What does the poet want to convey by this?
Ans: Pablo Neruda is against any kind of violence. He addresses the fishermen and
asks them not to harm whales living in the cold seas of the polar regions. He is also
against any kind of self torturing. The man who is gathering salt has hurt his hands.
He asks this man to look after himself and take care of his injured hands.

Q9. What are the different kinds of war mentioned in the poem?
Ans: The poet is against wars of all kinds. He wants a total stoppage of war. Green
wars against the environment, wars with poisonous gases and wars with fire must
be terminated (stopped) at once.
Q10. What alternative does Pablo Neruda suggest instead of indulging in
wars?
Ans: Instead of indulging in wars, the people must come out in their best dresses
with then- brothers. They should go out for a walk under the shady trees and enjoy
themselves doing nothing. This would bring the feeling of togetherness among
them.

Q11. How does the poet distinguish ‘stillness’ from ‘total inactivity’? Why
does Neruda say- I want no truck with death?
Ans: Pablo Neruda is in favour of stillness or silence. We remain still and quiet for
sometimes. On the other hand, total inactivity is a permanent suspension of work.
It is just like death. ‘Stillness’ should not be confused with ‘total inactivity’. Life
goes on as usual. There can’t be anything like total inactivity. The poet refuses to
associate with death or deal with it.

Q12. Why does the poet feel that we should not be so single-minded?
Ans: People are generally single-minded. They want to focus on only one thing.
They want to keep their lives going. They are ever busy in their pursuit. The poet
wishes that they would not be so much absorbed with always remaining on the
move. They must have some respite or rest. They too need peace or silence.

Q13.Why do men become sad? How can this sadness be overcome?

Ans: Men fail to understand themselves. They are always threatening themselves
with death. When they realise their failure to understand themselves they become
sad or helpless. Fear of death also makes them sad. Only a huge silence’ can
interrupt this sadness. Such silence will do them good.

Q14. How might a huge silence interrupt the sadness of men?

Ans: Men never understand themselves. Nor are they ever sure of their actions.
They face another tragedy. Due to their own actions, they are threatening
themselves with death. This realisation makes them helpless and sad. Only a huge
(long) silence might interrupt this sadness and do them some good.

Q15. Under the apparent stillness there is life. Justify this statement giving an
example from the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’.
Ans: Neruda does not equate stillness with total inactivity. He believes that under
this apparent stillness there is life. We can learn it from the earth. When everything
seems dead, the earth still remains alive. The earth is never dead. The life on the
earth goes on as usual under the apparent stillness.

Q16. Justify the title ‘Keeping Quiet’.

Ans: The title of the poem is quite appropriate and logical. It suggests the necessity
of quiet introspection. The people of the world are overactive and always on the
move. Their activities have caused untold troubles and sufferings. Keeping quiet
will do them a lot of good. It will save them from many harmful and violent
activities. Moreover, it will help in reflecting over the fate of man and help in
creating a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings.

Q17. Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’?
Ans: The poet talks about the exotic moment when everyone keeps quiet. There
will be no rush for a second. The machines must stop for a moment. That moment
will be fascinating for all of us. All of us shall enjoy the sudden strangeness of the
moment together.

Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow each:
1.Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.
Questions
(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
(b)Why does the poet ask us to count to twelve?
(c)Why does the poet ask us to keep still?
(d) Find words from the passage which mean.
(ii) say number (iii) quiet and motionless.
Answers:
(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The name of the poet is Pablo Neruda.
(b)There are only twelve signs on the clock to measure hours. Therefore, the poet
asks us to count till the clock measures these hours.
(c)Too much activity and rush has only brought misfortunes to mankind. Hence, it
is better to be quiet and still.
(d) (i) count (ii) still

2. For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any language, let’s stop
for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
Questions
(a) Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
(b)‘Let’s not speak in any language’, says the poet. Why?
(c)What should we not do for a second?
(d) What do you understand by ‘the face of the Earth ?
Answers:
(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.
(b)The people of the world have been indulging in wars and bloodshed on minor
excuses. If they keep quiet, they may not indulge in reasoning, disputes and
quarrels. So, let them keep quiet and not speak in any language. This will ensure
peace and prosperity.
(c)We should cease all activities for a second. Man has used his arms only to kill
and destroy others. Therefore, let them not move their arms so much as to harm
others.
(d) The expression “the face of the Earth’ refers to the various countries on the
surface of the earth.

3.It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines, we would all be
together
in a sudden strangeness.
Questions
(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
(b)What will happen if there is no rush or running of engines?
(c)What sort of moment will it be?
(d)How would all of us feel at that moment?
Answers:
(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.
(b)There will be peace all around if there is no rush or the sound of the running of
engines and machines.
(c)It will be a very enticing and beautiful moment.
(d) All of us will enjoy the unusual and sudden strangeness of that moment.

4.Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales and the man gathering
salt would look at his hurt hands.
Questions
(a)What do fishermen usually do in the cold sea?
(b)What does the poet ask fishermen not to do?
(c)What has happened to the man gathering salt?
(d) What should the man gathering salt do?
Answers:
(a)Fishermen usually catch fish, particularly whales, in the cold seas.
(b)The poet asks fishermen not to hurt or injure the whales in the seas.
(c)The man gathering salt has injured his hands.
(d)He must take care of his hurt hands.

5. Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their
brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
Questions
(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
(b)What sort of wars are mentioned in the above lines?
(c)What kind of victory will it be?
(d) How should the lovers of war behave?
Answers:
(а)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.
(b)Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with the fire are the different
kinds of wars.
(c) It will be a victory where no survivors will be left to celebrate it. Such a victory
will be meaningless.
(d) They should put on clean clothes and walk with their brothers under the trees
leisurely doing nothing.

6.What I want should not be confused

with total inactivity. i Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves and of
threatening ourselves with
death.
Questions
(a)What does the poet want? What should it not be confused with?
(b)Explain: I want no truck with death’.
(c)What do people pursue single-mindedly? Which is the better course the poet
suggests?
(d)When can a huge silence do us good?
Answers:
(а)The poet is advocating for silence or stillness. Stillness should not be confused
with total inactivity.
(b)Total inactivity brings death. The poet refuses to associate (or deal) with death.
Thus, he is not advocating for death.
(c)People pursue single-mindedly on keeping their lives moving. The poet suggests
that it would be better if they give themselves rest for sometimes. For once they
may do nothing.
(d)A huge silence can do us a lot of good when we are disappointed at not
understanding ourselves or threatening ourselves with death.

7. Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later
proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
Questions
(a)What can the Earth teach us?
(b)What remains alive when everything seems dead?
(c)Who is the poet? What does he want to do?
(d)What does the poet ask us to do?
Answers:
(a) The Earth can teach us a lesson how to live on it.
(b)Only the earth remains alive when everything seems dead.
(c) The poet is Pablo Neruda. He wants to count up to twelve.
(d) He asks us to keep quiet while he is counting up to twelve.
 POETIC DEVICES

Stanza 1
Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’ (Now we will count to twelve, not
move our arms so much)
Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
Personification- for once on the face of the earth……
Pun- arms -2meanings-weapons and body limb

Stanza 2
Alliteration- ‘we would’ - ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ - ‘s’ sound
is repeated, ‘his hurt hands’ - ‘h’ sound is repeated
Repetition-without rush, without engines

Stanza 3
Alliteration: ‘wars with’ - ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’ - ‘c’ sound is
repeated
Assonance: use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with no survivors, would put on clean
clothes and walk about with their brothers)
Repetition: use of ‘war’

Stanza4
Alliteration: we were, so single - minded
enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……..of threatening
ourselves with death.
Personification-perhaps the Earth can teach us