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    Keeping Quiet

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    Vyshnavi T M
    The poem "Keeping Quiet" discusses the importance of maintaining silence and inactivity. The poet argues that taking brief moments of silence allows one to introspect and reflect on one's actions, which can help remedy mistakes and harms done. This "exotic moment" of stillness is different than death, as it is only meant to be temporary. The poet advocates stopping our single-minded pursuits so we can consider how to reduce destructive behaviors like environmental degradation and war that cause widespread unhappiness. Overall, the poem suggests that maintaining stillness can have benefits like improved self-understanding and more harmonious relationships between humans and nature.

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    Keeping Quiet

    Uploaded by

    Vyshnavi T M
    42 views2 pages
    The poem "Keeping Quiet" discusses the importance of maintaining silence and inactivity. The poet argues that taking brief moments of silence allows one to introspect and reflect on one's actions, which can help remedy mistakes and harms done. This "exotic moment" of stillness is different than death, as it is only meant to be temporary. The poet advocates stopping our single-minded pursuits so we can consider how to reduce destructive behaviors like environmental degradation and war that cause widespread unhappiness. Overall, the poem suggests that maintaining stillness can have benefits like improved self-understanding and more harmonious relationships between humans and nature.

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    The poem "Keeping Quiet" discusses the importance of maintaining silence and inactivity. The poet argues that taking brief moments of silence allows one to introspect and reflect on one's actions, which can help remedy mistakes and harms done. This "exotic moment" of stillness is different than death, as it is only meant to be temporary. The poet advocates stopping our single-minded pursuits so we can consider how to reduce destructive behaviors like environmental degradation and war that cause widespread unhappiness. Overall, the poem suggests that maintaining stillness can have benefits like improved self-understanding and more harmonious relationships between humans and nature.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    42 views2 pages

    Keeping Quiet

    Uploaded by

    Vyshnavi T M
    The poem "Keeping Quiet" discusses the importance of maintaining silence and inactivity. The poet argues that taking brief moments of silence allows one to introspect and reflect on one's actions, which can help remedy mistakes and harms done. This "exotic moment" of stillness is different than death, as it is only meant to be temporary. The poet advocates stopping our single-minded pursuits so we can consider how to reduce destructive behaviors like environmental degradation and war that cause widespread unhappiness. Overall, the poem suggests that maintaining stillness can have benefits like improved self-understanding and more harmonious relationships between humans and nature.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    KEEPING QUIET

    What does the poet mean by ‘exotic moment’ and how could man achieve this ‘exotic moment’
    By ‘exotic moment’ the poet means that the moments of silence and inactivity would be extraordinary and
    memorable because man would be able to reflect on his activities and hence be able to make amends. This exotic
    moment can only be achieved through total silence and inactivity even if for a few seconds.

    What are the kinds of wars mentioned in the poem? What is Neruda’s attitude towards war?
    The poet mentions three types of wars, i.e. green wars that man wages against nature and environment. He also
    mentions wars with gas and wars with fire meaning that man kills other human beings with the help of biological and
    nuclear weapons. ‘Green wars’ refers to the environmental degradation caused by man’s mindless activities. Apart
    from the death of thousands of innocent people, war would not leave anyone victorious because there would be no
    survivors.

    How is inactivity different from death? What does the poet mean by ‘to have no truck with death’?
    According to the poet total inactivity only means a temporary stillness, where inactivity makes man only temporarily
    find time to introspect, whereas death on the other hand, means the end of life. ‘No truck with death’ means that the
    poet does not advocate death, he only urges mankind to halt his activities for a few seconds.

    What are we single-minded about?


    The poet feels that individuals only think about keeping our lives moving at all costs, and in the process we lose
    sight of our goals. We only yearn for progress and fulfillment of ambitions and that remains our only focus while we
    are alive.

    What, according to the poet causes sadness?


    Mindless destructive activities cause sadness in our lives. Even the self-destructive that threaten mankind have le
    to sadness and unhappiness all around.

    Under the apparent stillness there is life. Justify this statement giving an example from the poem “Keeping
    Quiet”
    The Earth can teach us how we can be productive and useful even by maintaining silence. The Earth
    nurtures all living beings, plants and animals and quietly maintains the balance in nature. This is what we
    can learn from earth. It helps in the rebirth of new life. We can all learn to be silent and introspect

    Justify the title ‘Keeping Quiet’.


    The title is quite apt and suggestive because it speaks of the importance of keeping quiet. There is not a
    single moment of rest in this world of activities. These activities harm us both physically and mentally.
    Hence there is a need for keeping quiet and introspecting which will make us realize our mistakes. It will
    help us communicate and understand others better.

    Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda (poetic devices/figures of speech)


    The poet has used symbols and comparisons to explain how we can end conflicts, wars and
    corrosive activities that are leading to the death of our civilization. He advocates keeping
    quiet and still for a while to introspect and understand ourselves and our relationship with
    our brothers and nature to build a peaceful and harmonious world order.
    1. ‘Count to twelve’ – symbolizes a measure of time. The clock has twelve markings on it,
    the year has twelve months and the day has twelve hours
    2. Let’s-repetition to create a bond with the reader and stress his point.
    3. ‘Fishermen in the cold sea…hurt hands’-symbolic image showing how man is ruthlessly
    destroying nature and harming other species in cold blood for his selfish need and
    greed. The ‘hurt hands’ – the sore hands of the salt gatherer would make him realize
    how he is harming himself by his mindless corrosive activities.
    4. ‘…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.
    5. Brothers – symbol of mankind
    6. 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.
    7. no truck with death – euphemism (a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for
    one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant) to have
    nothing to do with death
    8. Earth can teach us as when everything… simile. Just as earth in its sleeping mode
    appears to be dead on surface but is actually dormant and carefully preserving the seeds of
    life, human beings too need to keep still and quiet to rejuvenate and awaken the life forces
    within and be productive.

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