What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us to achieve ?
What the poet means to say is that we should stop all our activities for a few moments and do quiet introspection. It will help us to start our activities afresh in a better and purposeful manner.
Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death ?
No, the poet doesn’t say this at all. Whatever he says is connected with life and activities that can be made better. He only says that we should stop our activities for a few moments and have quiet introspection. It will help us to restart our activities in a better and purposeful manner.
What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem ?
It is the sadness of never understanding ourselves. Those who remain all the time busy in worldly activities can never understand themselves. We can understand ourselves only if we stop all our activities for a few moments and do some quiet introspection.
What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness ?
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How is the earth a source of life when all seems dead on it ?
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How is total inactivity on the earth in the winter months full of life ?
The poet uses the example of the earth to convey his message. He says that in winter, the earth seems to be dead. But later in spring, it is proved that it is alive, not dead. It has new colours and beauties added to it. Thus the poet proves that there can be life under apparent stillness.
What idea does Pablo Neruda want to convey in his poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?
The poet wants to say that we should stop our worldly activities for a few moments and do some quiet introspection. It will help us to understand ourselves. Then we can start our activities afresh in a better and purposeful manner.
What does the poet want all of us to do ?
The poet wants us to stop all our activities for a few moments — only for as long as it will take to count to twelve. We should keep still and not move even our arms. We should remain silent and not say anything while we are sitting still.
What does the poet mean when he says, “Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.” ?
The poet means to say that we should stop all our activities for a few moments. We should sit still and keep quiet. We should not move even our arms and say no word. It will help us to do a little introspection and understand ourselves.
What is ‘an exotic moment’ the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for ?
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Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?
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What does Neruda mean by ‘an exotic moment without rush’ in his poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’ ?The poet calls the moment of quiet introspection ‘an exotic moment’. He calls it exotic because it will give us a very unusual feeling. We shall feel ourselves as one with all others. We will come out of all our greed, selfishness and cruelty.
What does the poet say about fishermen ?
The poet says that quiet introspection will bring about a change in the outlook of fishermen. They would no longer harm whales out of their greed. They would fish only as much as they need for their survival.
What does the poet say about the man gathering salt ?
In his greed to collect more and more salt, the man has hurt his hands. If he spares a few moments for quiet introspection, he will realise the folly of his greed. He will look at his hurt hands and give up his greed.
How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea ?
The fishermen roaming in the cold sea would stop harming whales. They will fish only that much as is necessary for them. The man collecting salt from the seashore would look at his hurt hands and be satisfied with as much as he has already collected.
What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem ? What is Neruda’s attitude towards these wars ?
The wars mentioned in this poem are ‘green wars’ , i.e. new wars. The poet says that there are some people who enjoy making such wars. They want to win victories even if there are no survivors after the victory. The poet says that if the people take out some time for quiet introspection, they will stop making new wars. They will then look upon all others not as their enemies, but as their brothers.
What does the poet say about those ‘who prepare green wars’ ?
The poet says that there are people who enjoy making wars. They want to win victories even if there are no survivors after the victory. The poet says that these people will stop making wars if they can take out some time for quiet introspection. They will then look upon all others not as their enemies, but as their brothers.
What does the poet say should not be confused with total inactivity ? Why ?
The poet says that we should stop all our activities for a few moments and do quiet introspection. But he says that it should not be confused with total inactivity. He says that the essence of life is activity while inactivity is death.
How, according to the poet, can we understand ourselves ?
The poet says that we should stop all our activities for a few moments and do quiet introspection. During these moments, we should not even move our arms. We should speak no word. Thus through introspection, we can understand ourselves.
How, according to the poet, can earth teach us ?
When it is winter, everything on the earth seems to be dead. But later in spring, it is proved that the earth is alive, not dead. It gets new colours and beauties added to it. Similarly, after the silence and stillness of quiet introspection, man can restart his activities in a better and purposeful manner.
According to Pablo Neruda, what is it that human beings can learn from nature ?
We can learn from nature how to be at peace with ourselves and how to grow at our own pace. We can also learn to remain satisfied with whatever we have.
How can the suspension of activities help ?
The poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity. He wants us to suspend all our activities for a few moments only. It will help us to understand ourselves. Then we can start our activities afresh in a better and purposeful manner.
‘Life is what it is all about ......’ How is keeping quiet related to life ?
Keeping quiet refreshes both our mind and body. We can then restart our activities afresh in a better and purposeful manner. Thus keeping quiet is very closely related to life.
How will keeping quiet protect our environment ?
If we keep quiet, there will be less of noise, and consequently less of noise pollution. Thus keeping quiet can help to protect our environment also. Keeping quiet for some time will also cease all acitivity and thus give a break from all pollution causing activities.
What does the poet voice in the poem, ‘An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum’ ? What message does he want to convey through this poem ?
Why does one feel ‘a sudden strangeness’ on counting one to twelve and keeping quiet ?
Why does the poet call upon all the people to realise the value of quiet introspection ?
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What does Pablo Neruda say about the importance of quiet introspection in man’s life ?
The poet says that quiet introspection can transform not only life of an individual but also the face of the earth. It leads us to a better and fresh course of further activity in our life. Without it, we shall never be able to understand ourselves and then we shall be as good as dead. The poet says that we can examine and analyse our inner thoughts only in moments of complete silence. If we give some time to quiet introspection, we shall experience a very unusual feeling. We shall feel no hurry or worry. There shall be complete silence. We shall suddenly feel a strange togetherness with all others. This quiet introspection will lead everyone to come out of their greed, selfishness and cruelty. Warmongers will give up their lust for war. They will no longer spend their lives fighting their enemies. They won’t stain their clothes with the blood of their enemies. They will look upon their enemies as their brothers. All hurry, worry and fighting will end, if man finds a little time for introspection. This is the reason that the poet calls upon all the people to realise the value of quiet introspection.
