Poetry helps us understand deep
thoughts and emotions. In the poems
“My Mother at Sixty-Six” by Kamala Das
and “Keeping Quiet” by Pablo Neruda,
both poets think deeply about life and
people.
Thesis: Kamala Das writes about the
sadness of seeing her mother grow old,
while Pablo Neruda talks about the
whole world stopping to think about
peace and kindness. Both use silence
and calmness to show how important it
is to stop and reflect.
Introspection in the Poems “My Mother at Sixty-Six” and “Keeping Quiet”
Introduction: The Central Role of Introspection
Kamala Das’s poem starts with a simple moment — a car ride with her mother. But this
normal moment makes her feel sad because she sees how old and weak her mother has
become. When she says “her face ashen like that of a corpse,” it shows she’s thinking about
death.
This makes her remember her childhood and compare the busy life outside — “young trees
sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes” — to her quiet, tired mother
beside her. She doesn’t speak out her fear. Instead, she smiles and waves goodbye. This
shows how people sometimes hide deep feelings behind a calm face.
Subtopic 1: Personal Introspection in “My Mother at Sixty-Six”
Pablo Neruda’s poem “Keeping Quiet” is not about one person’s feelings, but about the
whole world. He asks everyone to stop and be silent — to “count to twelve and keep still.”
This is not to avoid life, but to understand it better. He thinks silence can bring peace and
make people realize what they are doing.
He wants people to stop hurting each other and the earth. The line “perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves” means that being quiet can
help us understand ourselves better. For him, silence is not empty — it’s powerful and
healing.
Subtopic 2: Philosophical Introspection in “Keeping Quiet”
Both poets use silence and stillness, but in different ways. In “My Mother at Sixty-Six,”
silence shows love and sadness. The poet doesn't say how scared she is, but her silence
speaks for her. Her quietness is full of emotion.
In “Keeping Quiet,” silence means something bigger — it’s about people all over the world
stopping for a moment to think. While Kamala Das’s silence is personal and sad, Pablo
Neruda’s silence is shared and hopeful. Both show that silence can be meaningful.
Subtopic 3: Use of Silence and Stillness as a Symbol
Kamala Das talks about her own feelings — love, fear, and family. Her poem is quiet and
emotional. Pablo Neruda’s poem talks to everyone — he wants the world to stop and think
about peace.
Even though one poem is about personal pain and the other about world peace, both show
that looking inside ourselves can help us understand life better.
Subtopic 4: Different Types of Introspection — Emotional vs. Global
Both poems talk about the power of silence and thinking. Kamala Das shows a daughter
quietly feeling pain as her mother gets older. Pablo Neruda asks people to pause and think
so the world can become peaceful. One poem is about personal feelings, the other about the
world — but both say that silence helps us understand more about life and ourselves.
Conclusion: Introspection as a Path to Awareness
Both “My Mother at Sixty-Six” and “Keeping Quiet” emphasize the importance of
introspection through silence. Kamala Das’s poem reveals the emotional struggle of a
daughter confronting her mother’s aging, while Pablo Neruda offers a vision of global peace
through reflection. Though one poem is deeply personal and the other philosophical, both
use stillness as a tool to gain awareness, express truth, and foster connection. These poems
remind us that sometimes, silence says more than words — and in stillness, we come closer
to understanding both ourselves and the world.
