Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda

Short Answer Questions

01) What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us achieve ?
Ans : This exercise of counting upto twelve will help us to sit still, away from the
humdrum of life, meditate, reflect and introspect in silence. It will help us
achieve a sense of togetherness away from the mundane activities of life. It will
also help us save the world from disasters and wars.

02) Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and
death ? Why / Why not ?
Ans : No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity or death. He wants
inhuman and destructive activities, specially those which are involved in war, to
be stopped. He wants the human race to live in peace and harmony, preserve
nature and the environment.

03) What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem ?
Ans : The sadness that the poet refers to is our inability to just slow down and look on
the inside instead of just ignoring our needs. The poet wants us to realise that
just surviving is a sad way of living.

04) What symbol from nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be
life under apparent stillness ?
Ans : The earth has been personified as a teacher. Like a teacher, the earth teaches us
the best lesson in silence. It sends us a strong message that when everything on
earth seems silent and quiet, in nurtures so much life underneath. Life moves
on, like an ongoing process, and the cycle of birth and death, decay and renewal
continues.

05) In the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’, what is the appeal made by the poet ?
Ans : The poet appeals the people to keep quiet for a short time. This would help them
take stock of their mindless activities and conduct self–analysis. All this will
help save mankind from its imminent doom.

06) What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem ? What is
Neruda’s attitude towards these wars ?
Ans : Green wars – cutting the trees, war with environment ; war with gas – chemical
or nuclear, war with fire, and war with ammunition. Every type of war is useless
and must be given up. Whenever there is victory after a war, there are no
survivors. War is only destructive.
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07) How can suspension of activities help ?
Ans : The poet believes that suspension of activities will allow men to introspect and
realise the consequences of mindless wreckage of all that surrounds us. By
reconnecting with themselves, men might be able to re–think their ways.

08) How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea ?
Ans : Keeping quiet will prevent sea life from being harmed and the person collecting
salt would look at his hurt hands. It will thus, help in maintaining an ecological
balance and give everyone some time to introspect.

09) What are green wars ? Who wage them and with what result ?
Ans : Green wars mean war against environment or environmental degradation. It is
waged by the people who exploit the nature for commercial use and their greed.
It results in damage to the environment and ultimately harming humans.

10) ‘Life is what it is all about’. How is keeping quiet related to life ?
Ans : Keeping quiet does not mean complete inactivity, but stillness and quietness to
introspect on what we are doing. This means stopping our normal day–to–day
activities to reflect on our actions. Thus it is related to life, although this may
not be visible outwardly.

11) 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.

12) According to Pablo Neruda, what do we not do when we keep quiet ?

Ans : According to the poet, when we keep quiet, we do not harm ourselves and
environment. We are not divided, as we do not speak different languages. We do
not feel any differences and unrest that prevail in the outside world.

13) How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea ?
Ans : Keeping quiet would affect life in and around the sea in two ways. By keeping
quiet, the fisherman will not kill whales for some time. Also, salt gatherers will
get some time to heal their hurt hands. Thus it will give time to everyone for
introspection.

14) Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?
“Or”
What is the exotic moment referred to in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?
What makes it exotic ?
Ans : The exotic moment referred to in ‘Keeping Quiet’ is the moment when everyone
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will introspect and will get time to look into one’s inner self. There will be a
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 feeling of mutual understanding and a feeling of oneness in a different way,
thus, taking a break from violence and war.

15) Why does one feel ‘a sudden strangeness’ in counting to twelve and
keeping quiet ?
Ans : One feels a ‘sudden strangeness’ in counting up to twelve because it will build a
feeling of brother hood. It will be a unique moment as there will be silence all
around and everyone would feel united.

16) How will ‘Keeping Quiet’ protect one’s environment ?

Ans : ‘Keeping Quiet’ will protect our environment, as it will give everyone time to
introspect and to think about the consequences of their actions. Human beings
will not harm other creatures and all wars will come to an end. Man will not
indiscriminately exploit nature for his vested interests and harm himself.

17) ‘Life is what it is about . . .’ How is keeping quiet related to life ?

Ans : ‘Keeping Quiet’ is related to life because in life, we need to pause for a moment
and introspect. It is only when we introspect that we realise the consequences of
our actions and are able to correct them. Introspection will help us all live in
peace and harmony. It will also help us to understand ourselves when we are sad
so that we don’t threaten ourselves with death. Keeping quiet will nurture good
thoughts within us just like mother Earth.

18) Which symbol from nature does the poet use, that there can be life
under apparent stillness.
“Or”
What symbol from nature does the poet use to prove that ‘Keeping
Quiet’ is not a total inactivity ?
Ans : Poet uses two symbols to prove his statement –
(a) ‘Earth’ seeming still is very much alive underneath has a
murmuring life under the apparent stillness, e.g. ‘when everything
seems dead it later proves to be alive’
(b) In winter, seeds buried are dormant but sprout in the spring.

19) What does the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ teach us ?

Ans : The poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ teaches us to be quiet for some time and introspect.
The poet urges us to stop all our activities, thoughtless actions, and also to stop
the race of moving from one day to another. To know ourselves and to rejuvenate
ourselves, we must go inwards and introspect.

20) What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve ?
Ans : Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us to introspect. It will make us
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pause for a moment and to think over our thoughts and actions. This will make
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 man realise the consequences of his actions and he will be able to make amends
for himself. This will lead to harmony and peace in the world and peace within.
It will help us to think about ourselves and about the world around us. It will
make us think about the chaos that we human beings have created. It will help
us to introspect and think and will thus strangely unite us all in silence.

L o n g A n s w e r t y p e Q u e s ti o n s
01) What does the poet suggest us through the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?
“Or”
What do you think the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ is about ?
Ans : The poet suggests us all living on the surface of the earth to keep still, to keep
silent and to suspend our activities. It will be an exotic moment for us all to feel
together – oneness in a sudden surprise. This act will provide some moments to
introspect quietly. It will help us in understanding ourselves. It will give us
mutual understanding. We feel sad because we have never understood ourselves
and we have threatened ourselves with death.

The earth can teach us that everything seems dead in winter but as the
spring comes in, everything becomes alive. This period of winter gives rest and
leisure to the earth. Hence, we all need rest and leisure for once to introspect
quietly.

02) How is the poet’s appeal for keeping quiet different from absolute
sluggishness ?
Ans : The poet, in his appeal for keeping quiet, emphasises the importance of self–
introspection in a man’s life. He urges us to seek a moment to understand
ourselves and analyse our actions as we experience the sadness of death.

The poet’s appeal for a moment of silence or stillness should not be

mistaken as a plea, as a moment of inactivity or absolute sluggishness. He seeks
a silence where people are not obsessed with work and give a personal moment
to think about their actions. This moment of silence will help them to overcome
their woes and defects. The poet even feels that the Earth will enlighten men in
this process, as silence is only a moment captured where there is activity under
apparent stillness.

( End )
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