Keeping Quiet Textual Questions

Q1. What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?

Ans. Counting up to twelve and keeping quiet will assist us in attaining a state of
peace in which we will be able to introspect and thus, see and appreciate the
benefits of the symbiotic relationship that would exist between humans and
between man and nature.

2. Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?

The poet does not advocate total inactivity and death, but he does advise that
we should introspect deeply and not indulge in activity that is mindless and thus
potentially destructive for human beings and for the balance that should exist
between man and nature.

3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?

The poet Pablo Neruda refers to ‘sadness’ which we form out of our own thinking
and actions. We understand a lot of things but fail to understand ourselves and
our actions and this becomes the creator of all disasters. This is the ‘sadness’
that the poet refers to in the poem

4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that
there can be life under apparent stillness?
Ans. Life under apparent stillness can be seen in nature. During the winter
season, the earth under the snow looks dead, with no activity and no growth. But
when the spring comes, the snow melts away, the seeds sprout and the grass
grows. All activities of life start again.
 Keeping Quiet Summary - Page 1
This poem advocates the importance of silence and self- introspection. It can transform not only the life of an
individual but also the face of the earth. The poet says that it does not need much time to look within and examine
oneself. It will take only as long as it will take to count to twelve. During this time of introspection (selfexamination),
one should keep quiet and say nothing at all. It will give him a strange feeling of togetherness with all others.
Although it may seem a little strange in the beginning, it will eventually bring us all together. This silence will be
free from 'the disturbing sounds of engines and people rushing to get their work done' for some time. He feels
contended imagining the change that will be brought about in those moments. The men who hurt their hands while
collecting salt will get a little rest. Even the people, who seek fresh wars, using fatal gas and weapons, will put on
clean clothes and get a chance to walk among their brothers. They will lead a hatred-free and calm life, giving a
halt to their destructive activities. The poet clarifies that his wish should not be considered as a case for "total
inactivity". He only wants to interrupt the sad, cruel and baleful activities of the world for a few moments and make
the people introspect their actions. In fact what he says is connected with life, not with death. Activity is very
essence of life. Inactivity is death but for a fresh, better and useful activity, a little stillness is essential. The poet
uses the image of the earth to show how life exists in seemingly dormant things. In winter, the earth becomes so
still and silent that it seems to be dead. But later in spring, it seems to be lively again. It has new beauties and
colours added to it. Similarly, after a little quietness and silence, man can resume his activities in a fresh and better
manner.
Main points
1. The poem talks about the necessity of quiet introspection.
2. It will help people to understand themselves & will create the feeling of mutual love & relationship.
3. By quiet introspection, the poet doesn't mean total inactivity, instead he wants full involvement with life.
4. The reason for the discord & war is the imbalance between man & nature.
5. Quiet introspection will establish a spiritual & physical union that is most desirable for the survival of the earth & of
human beings
Keeping Quiet Page 3

Question.1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
"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
(a) Whom does 'we' refer to in the above lines?
(b) Why does the poet want us to 'do nothing' for once?
(c) What is the’ sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem?
(d) How can a huge silence do good to us?
Answers.
(a) 'We' refers to the human beings, who are always thinking about their own progress and advancement.
(b) The poet wants us to 'do nothing' for once so that our mind can be at peace and we are able to
introspect and analyze our own actions.
(c) The poet refers to the 'sadness' which arises due to the fact that people fail to understand themselves. They
have no time to introspect about their actions and their consequences.
(d) A huge silence can do good to us because we are able to achieve peace in this silence. It helps us in analyzing
ourselves and our actions, interrupting the sadness of threatening ourselves with death.
Question.2.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive Now I'll count upto
twelve and you keep quiet and I will go.
(a) What does the Earth teach us?
(b) What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?
(c) (c) What is the significance of 'keeping quiet'?
(d) What is always alive, even when everything seems to be dead?
OR
(a) What does the Earth teach us?
(b) Why does the poet count upto twelve?
(c) What will keeping quiet help us achieve?
(d) How does the Earth teach us that there is activity even in apparent stillness?
Answers.
(a) The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains, and how there is life under apparent stillness.
(b) The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto twelve. He wants us to introspect in a moment of silence.
(c) Keeping quiet doesn't mean just not speaking. It means that we should avoid all activities which hurt nature
and, in turn, hurt us.
(d) The Earth is always alive, even when everything else seems to be dead. There is always some activity going
on in nature beneath its apparent stillness.
OR
Keeping Quiet Page 4

Answers.
(a) The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains. It gives us lessons about sustaining and
resurrecting life.
(b) The poet is initiating an exercise in meditation. When he counts upto twelve, the meditator puts away all
digressions and experiences bliss. He wants all meditators to experience that bliss.
(c) Keeping quiet will help us introspect, reflect and experience silence and peace. This will in turn help us find
solutions to our problems.
(d) Though the Earth appears still, there are so many changes that keep occurring beneath its surface. A seed
that seems dead germinates under the Earth and a new life springs from it.
Question.3.Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
For once on the face of the Earth let's not speak in any language, let's stop for one second, arid not move our
arms so much.
(a) Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
(b) What does he want us to do for one second?
(c) What does he mean by "not move our arms"?
(d) How can this moment of stillness help us?
Answers.
(a) The poet wants us to keep quiet in the hope that the moment of tranquility might help us in finding the
answers to our problems.
(b) The poet wants us to be silent and motionless for one second.
(c) The poet means that we should be in a state of total stillness with no physical activity at all.
(d) This moment of stillness can provide us physical and mental rest, during which our mind will be at peace. We
can analyze our actions and their consequences and avoid rash or thoughtless behaviour.
Theme
If there is a deep silence all around then one can find huge amount of resources of peace and tranquility. When a
person is silent, at that time he is with himself and all other distractions disappear. Silence creates an exotic
moment , where one forgets ones differences; wars come to a standstill and a feeling of brotherhood prevails. The
poem 'Keeping quiet' celebrates the necessity of introspection and the advantage of doing nothing for sometimes
in life. Much of the evil disappears in the depths of a silent and inactive life, for if man, at one point of life, does
nothing, life on earth, can become a heaven for those moments of life.
Title

Keeping Quiet
Title
The title 'Keeping quiet' emphasizes the need of quiet introspection and creating a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings. It conveys Neruda's philosophy of an exotic moment of silence and
inactivity which can be an antidote to war, violence, exploitation and turmoil. . By keeping quiet mankind can try
to understand itself and stop harming itself with death and destruction. Thus the title is very appropriate.

Poetic Devices

1.Alliteration

sudden strangeness. / his hurt hands/ wars with gas, wars with fire,/ would put on clean clothes /and we will all
keep still.
2.PUN- Clever use of words that sound alike but have different meaning

let's stop for one second, and not move our arms so much.

Arms here can mean a part of human body or weapons of destruction. REPETITION without rush, without
engines, wars with gas, wars with fire let's not speak in any language, let's stop for one second,
3.PERSONIFICATION

Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead

Eg.Teaching is a human ability. Earth is personified here

4.ANTITHESIS -Antithesis means opposite. It is a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together
in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive
SYMBOLISM - Symbolism is use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities , by giving them symbolic meaning
that are different from their literal sense
 eg. Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales
Here Fisherman refers to the people harming and killing others, and the whales represent the victims . and the
man gathering would look at his hurt hands.
Here the man gathering salt
Here man gathering salt refers to people working hard and suffering to make money without realizing it is
affecting their physical and mental health.

6. Metaphor - ‘.put on clean clothes’- metaphor. The poet says that quiet introspection will make us
comprehend the destructive nature of wars. Man would shed his blood soiled clothes and don on
clean clothes i.e. he would cleanse his soul, heart and mind, purging it of all anger and hatred.
7. Metaphor -In the shade- metaphor- just as shade protects us from the harsh sun, we will protect
and shelter each other as brothers, thus live in peace and harmony.
8. Euphemism -no truck –
9. Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
10. Alliteration: the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of 2 or more
closely placed words.

‘we will’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated

Assonance: use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and
walk about with their brothers)

Enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……..of threatening ourselves
with death.