KEEPING QUIET
Pablo Neruda
Theme: Neruda
advocates introspection in moments of silence and stillness as an antidote to
the destructive path mankind has taken in pursuit of material goals and
progress. In these magical moments we would understand our true selves, our
oneness with nature and humanity and thus work towards peace and harmony.
Text questions
1. Keeping quiet
and still to the count of twelve would help us put a brake on the rush and
humdrum of life and allow us to introspect, relate to our inner self and
understand our oneness with nature and mankind. In this silent moment there
would be no conflict, violence or stress of mechanical and futile activities. We would experience universal
brotherhood.
2. Neruda does not
want moments of stillness and quietude that he advocates to be confused with
total inactivity, i.e. death or moral inertia. Introspection
involves moral and mental awakening. His ‘stillness’ means suspending
futile movements, hostile and harmful activities and awakening the productive
life forces that lie dormant within us.
3. The ’sadness’
refers to the pain man experiences in his obsessive pursuit of power and
material progress. These have made him hurt others and exploit nature,
bringing misery and discord. This path is suicidal for man fails to understand
himself and the need for coexistence with nature and humanity.
4. Neruda uses the
symbol of ‘earth’, the greatest creator, to show that there is life and
productivity under apparent stillness. Beneath its seemingly inactive surface,
it preserves and nurtures the seed that has dormant life. We too need to
rejuvenate by keeping quiet and still and introspecting, thereby awakening
productive forces within us to bring peace and harmony.
Huge silence-: in
those moments when the entire mankind will be still and keep quiet there will
be a huge silence that will bind us in a harmonious coexistence. There will be
no differences and conflicts that divide humanity.
Poetic devices : Euphemism
-What I want should not be confused with total inactivity…no truck with death-
is a softer way of expressing intolerance of death and killer forces. It is a
strong anti-war statement. Metaphor-‘put
on clean clothes’- cleanse one’s heart, soul and mind. Introspection in silence
would bring about a transformation and change man’s violent and exploitative
attitude. It would help him to understand that wars are destructive and lead
only to destruction and not victory. It would urge people to awaken their
conscience and their productive forces to promote universal brotherhood and
peace. Symbol: Earth as a life force
which teaches us that silence is productive.
What change will keeping quiet bring in the
people who wage wars?
People
who wage wars will make a fresh start. They will metaphorically change their
blood stained clothes, that is, cleanse their mind of all hatred and anger,
live as brothers and not as enemies, protecting and walking with them in shade
- in peace and harmony.
What lesson will the Earth teach us? How will it teach that
lesson? (pts.)
The lesson- productivity
is best nurtured in silence. The biggest creator, the earth, is silent and
productive, unlike man who is destructive and restless. How- by keeping quiet and still for some time, and introspect.
Just as earth though apparently still, nurtures life within the dormant seed,
we can awaken the productive forces within our beings.
What will the huge silence interrupt?
A huge silence will
interrupt the cycle of mindless destruction and mechanical pursuit of power and
material wealth.
What are we single-minded about and what are
its consequences?
In pursuit of money,
ambition and success our lives have become hectic, mechanized and monotonous.
We fail to introspect and connect with our inner self as well as threaten
ourselves with our destructive activities.
What is the exotic moment that the poet talks
about? Why will it appear strange?
-
a moment of
quietude and stillness, without rush, without the din of machines, when people will
have the time to introspect. It will appear strange as man has never known such
a rare tranquil moment which will make him understand universal brotherhood.
