THE INDIAN SCHOOL

ENGLISH CORE (301)

CLASS 12 (2019-20)

TEXTBOOK: FLAMINGO

POEM 3:

ABOUT THE POET

Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto (12 July 1904 – 23 September 1973), better known by
his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda was a Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet-
diplomat and politician. Neruda became known as a poet when he was 13 years old, and wrote in
a variety of styles, including surrealist poems, historical epics, overtly political manifestos, a
prose autobiography, and passionate love poems such as the ones in his collection Twenty Love
Poems and a Song of Despair (1924). He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.

Neruda is often considered the national poet of Chile, and his works have been popular and
influential worldwide. The Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez once called him "the
greatest poet of the 20th century in any language", and Harold Bloom included Neruda as one of
the 26 writers central to the Western tradition in his book The Western Canon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Neruda
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INTRODUCTION TO THE POEM

Keeping Quiet is a splendid poem by Pablo Neruda that dwells on a quality that seems to have
been lost in the buzz of the 21st century- the quality of silence. In an age that accepts rush as a
celebratory gesture, Keeping Quiet is a gentle reminder of what life can be like in a brief moment
of a silent pause.  This message instantly resonates in the digital age where “switching off” has
become a much-needed life hack.  The theme of quietude and stillness is accompanied by the
themes of peace, pacifism, fellowship, solidarity, brotherhood, justice and ecological
conservation. To keep quiet is to stay still and understand that one is a thread, woven within the
exquisite fabric of the cosmic order. It is to identify oneself with all and in doing so, escape the
“sadness of never understanding ourselves”. To keep quiet is to escape the death with which we
threaten ourselves and for once, truly and genuinely, live.

[Source: https://www.litbug.com/2018/12/03/summary-and-analysis-of-keeping-quiet-by-pablo-
neruda/]

LINK TO THE PPT SHOWN IN CLASS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ADTrwtWji0

UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SILENCE

Watch the movie ‘In Pursuit of Silence’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64c_1MtQUlM

Hear the poem Keeping Quiet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5lMnyYF_PM

SUMMARY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp1aQv53Q00&t=27s

CROSSWORD

https://crosswordlabs.com/view/keeping-quiet-5

QUIZ

https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/60d7e5773438c2001b8b8e17/keeping-quiet

GIST OF THE POEM

 The poet talks about the need for silence and quiet introspection and the importance of
quietude and calmness. He also talks about creating a feeling of mutual understanding
and universal brotherhood among human beings.
 The poet asks us to keep still and count up to twelve. He also asks us to sit still. For a
moment we should not speak any language. We should not move our arms so much.

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 It will be a moment of complete silence without rush or worry. This would be an exotic
moment.
 Then a sudden strangeness will prevail which we will all enjoy. It will be bliss.
 The fisherman would not harm the whales in the cold sea. Even the man gathering salt
would stop working and look at his hurt hands and reflect on the pain and harm his
strenuous task has caused him.
 All kinds of wars must be stopped at once. The green wars against the environment, wars
with poisonous gases, and firearms, must be stopped at once.
 People who are all the time preparing for wars leaving no survivors behind ought to find
time to wear clothes and walk around with their brothers strengthening the message of
peace and brotherhood.
 At the same time, the poet cautions not to confuse stillness with total inactivity. Life is an
ongoing process and should not be associated with death. It is to be lived with a positive
attitude.
 He does not want us to ruminate over death.
 But he feels that if for once we do not focus on ourselves single-mindedly to keep our
lives moving but do some introspection or spend some time in silence doing nothing, we
can understand ourselves better and escape from the threatening calls of death.
 The earth can teach us a lesson about how everything comes to a dead end and comes to
life again.
 In the same manner, a quiet introspection can bring all anger, hatred and evil thoughts to
an end and bring in a new life of peace and tranquillity.
 Now the poet will count up to twelve and they should keep quiet and he will go.

EXPLANATION OF IMPORTANT WORDS AND PHRASES

1. Significance of the number ‘twelve’ - a measure of time

2. Pun on the word ‘arms’ - it is both a body part and a reference to weapons

3. ‘A huge silence’ refers to a moment of quiet and stillness created together by all people.

4. ‘Green wars’ imply wars against nature by causing environmental degradation.

5. ‘Sudden strangeness’ because it will be a sudden and unexpected moment/ a strange

experience

6. ‘Exotic moment’ refers to a unique instant/ beautiful moment of thoughtful silence

7. ‘Fishermen’ symbolise vested interests (greedy men) who exploit and destroy nature.

8. ‘Put on clean clothes’ symbolize a change of heart/ cleansing the soul of all anger, hatred
and ill-will.

9. ‘Victory with no survivors’ is a reminder of the futility of war.

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 10. ‘Life is what it is about; I want no truck with death’ - The poet does not advocate death
because life is an ongoing process.

11. ‘Earth’ teaches us that under apparent stillness, there is life.

12. ‘In the shade’ implies a cool, serene and soothing state of mind

FIGURES OF SPEECH

ALLITERATION- sudden strangeness/hurt hands/clean clothes/we would/wars with/we will

METAPHOR- put on clean clothes/in the shade

REPETITION- without rush, without engines

IMAGERY- cold sea

ANTITHESIS- count to twelve and we will all keep still

PERSONIFICATION- Perhaps the Earth can teach us

IRONY- victory with no survivors

Answer the following questions in 40 words (2 Marks).

1. Why does Pablo Naruda urge us to keep still?

2. ’Under the apparent stillness, there is life’. Justify.
3. Why do men become sad? How can this sadness be overcome?
4. Why shouldn’t we speak any language and move our arms so much?
5. How does the poet distinguish ‘stillness’ from ‘total inactivity’? Explain.
6. “I want no truck with death.” Explain.
7. What are the various wars mentioned? What is the result of these wars?
8. What would be the result of quietude?