Assignment - English

-pragati
Roll no.- 564

Dialogue writing about current situation in the world and relating it to "keeping quiet" by Pablo
Neruda.

below is a discussion between me (pragati) and my friend (deeksha) about the hardships and
the lessons that we are learning from the situation prevailing worldwide.

Pragati​ :​ ​ ​hello! Am I speaking to deeksha?

Deeksha :​ yeah. How are you doing pragati?
Pragati:​ you know how it's all going on. I am finding it really difficult to keep myself
busy in doing something productive when we must not go outside due to the widespread
covid-19 outbreak.
Deeksha :​ yes you are right that's not easy and that too for about a month. Don't know about
how long will it be going like this.
Pragati :​ ​Don't know, but I feel that the nation has got a good leader dealing with this critical
situation so well.Be it 21 days lockdown, timely interaction with the public or making sure that
all the necessary preventive measures are being taken. He is managing every aspect of it.
Deeksha :​ I agree with you but we too are supposed to make the most of this lockdown at
home. I have read Pablo Neruda's "keeping quiet" and we could relate to this poem in current
situations to a great extent.
Pragati : I​ have read it too, "switching off" has become a much-needed life hack. It presents
an exercise of maintaining stillness and silence.
Deeksha :​ Moreover as it was also brought out in the poem, the lockdown has also created an
exotic moment of togetherness. You must have experienced the night of 5th April at 9:00 p.m.
and for 9 minutes; that was a great feeling wasn't it?
Pragati :​ yes it was a perfect example for the fact that in such inactivity and silence we can
feel the strength of humanity.
Deeksha :​ Neruda even cautioned that the thoughts regarding stillness shouldn't be confused
with total inactivity. I think this should be understood on individual levels.
Pragati :​ And it also conveys the power of silence and inactivity which can be an antidote to
violence and exploitation.
Deeksha :​ you must have seen how the Earth is also healing itself. Pollution levels are
diminishing, air is more clean to breathe in and sky is more clean. Conditions of water bodies
are also getting better.
Pragati :​ Remember that phrase from the poem "without rush, without engines"
it says that life on earth can become a heaven for those moments when man does nothing for a
while.
Deeksha :​ I hope that we humans can understand that keeping our mother earth healthy is
not an impossible task we can do this and we must.
Pragati :​ This will weaken our nation's economy for sure. When everyone will be locked at
homes. But this doesn't justify man's indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested
interest. Man's habit of working towards advancement has resulted in more harm than good.
Deeksha :​ I know. Pollution, global warming and all such disasters imply our self-inflicted
injuries. Economy can be made strong without harming the surroundings.
Pragati :​ Deeksha, it was nice talking to you. Hope uncle and aunt are doing well and are
healthy.
Deeksha :​ Hope so for you and your family as well.
Pragati :​ Alright then I must leave as I need to do my English assignment.
Deeksha :​ Ok bye. We will meet soon once this ends.
Pragati :​ Yes, this too shall pass looking forward to meet you too. bye.