CBSE Class 12 English Keeping Quiet Worksheet Set 05

Keeping Quiet

Theme of the poem

The central idea or theme of the poem is mindfulness, introspection, and retrospection. The poet wants us to take some time off from our busy lifestyles, reflect on the harm that we have caused to ourselves and the environment with our selfishness and to live in harmony with nature and learn from mother earth.

Gist of the poem

The poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ highlights the importance of quiet introspection in a world full of strife and chaos. Pablo Neruda suggests that we count to twelve and also stop speaking in any language as it may cause confusion and lead to misunderstanding. An introspection is only possible when we are free from the disturbing sounds of engines and rush of people. We would all be connected together with peace and harmony with our fellow human beings. He goes on to say that it's only in that quietness that the fishermen would understand the extent of harm caused to the whales and the salt gatherer would also get time to look at the hurt caused to his hands. Those preparing for wars would stop doing it and bring about peace and love. They would realize that wars can only cause destruction of life and misery even if they win.

The poet wants us to take time off from our busy schedule and ‘do nothing’. He goes on to clarify that by ‘doing nothing’ he wants us to introspect and does not mean being idle or the state of death. He goes on to say that when we introspect, we would be overcome with sadness of never understanding ourselves and threatening ourselves with death. Neruda says that there is still hope—the earth teaches us that when everything looks like its dead a new lease of life is given to it—like germination of seed or spring season where it looks like everything is dead and later proves to be alive.

Literary Devices :

• 1. Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. e.g. —we will count, —sudden strangeness, —stop for one second, —his hurt hands, —clean clothes.
• 2. Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’ e.g. ‘let’s not speak in any language, let’s stop for one second’
• 3. Repetition: It is the repetition of words/phrases in the poem for poetic effect. e.g. —without rush, without engines.
• 4. Symbolism: The poet uses various symbols in the poem. e.g. —counting to twelve symbolises time, —clean clothes symbolise world peace, —shade symbolises protection/ security, etc.
• 5. Personification: It is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human things and animals. e.g., —Earth can teach us.
• 6. Irony: When everything seems dead, later proves to be alive.
• 7. Pun: It is a figure of speech that includes a play of words wherein a word can have more than one meaning. eg. ‘not move our arms’. Here ‘arms’ refers to ‘weapons’ as well as body parts.
• 8. Transferred Epithet: fishermen in the cold sea.

Mind map - Gist of Keeping Quiet

• 01. The poem talks about the necessity of quiet introspection. It will help people to understand themselves.
• 02. Fishermen will stop hunting whales. The salt gatherer will look at his hurt hands. Those who prepare wars will stop harming others and walk in peace with his fellow beings.
• 03. Keeping quiet doesn't mean total inactivity, but to analyze our actions and think about the harm caused by pushing ourselves to the brink of extinction and on the environment.
• 04. The poet exhorts us to count up to twelve and introspect.
• 05. The reason for the discord and war is the imbalance between man and nature.
• 06. Quiet introspection will establish a spiritual and physical union that is most desirable for the survival of the earth and of human beings.

Extract Based question 

Q1. What I want should not be confused with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing, perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

a). What I want should not be confused with--------? What is the confusion that the poet is referring to?
Answer: The poet is trying to clarify that by "not doing anything" he does not mean idleness or the state of death. He wants the silence to be a productive period of self-reflection, not total cessation of life.

b). What does single-minded mean?
Answer: Single-minded refers to man’s only selfish pursuit of his happiness and material progress, while being completely oblivious to the harm that he is causing to himself and nature.

c). What is the sadness that the poet talks about?
Answer: The sadness is of never understanding our true selves and not realizing that we are pushing ourselves to the brink of extinction through our mindless actions.

d). If we were no so single- minded-----. Choose the word/phrase which does NOT mean single minded
(a) determined
(b) concentrating on only one aim
(c) single celled
(d) focussed
Answer: (c) single celled

Q2. Extract based question 
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
for once on the face of the earth,
let’s not speak in any language;
let’s stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much.

1. Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
Answer: The poet wants us to keep quiet so that we can have a moment of stillness to perform self-analysis and introspection.

2. How long does the poet exhort us to be silent?
Answer: The poet wishes that we become still for a short duration, symbolically until we count twelve.

3. Identify the poetic device used in the last line?
Answer: Pun on the word arm. Arm here refers to both the body parts and the use of weapons.

4. The poet does not want to speak in any language because-------------
Answer: he believes language can create barriers and lead to confusion and misunderstanding among people.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q3. Extract based questions 
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

1. What does the poet mean by ‘an exotic moment’?
Answer: An "exotic moment" refers to a rare and extraordinary instance of total stillness and universal silence, where all human activity, mechanical noise, and habitual rush come to a complete halt.

2. What kind of feeling would this exotic moment evoke?
Answer: This moment would evoke a feeling of "sudden strangeness"—a sense of profound, shared tranquility and a unique bond of togetherness among all human beings, free from the usual chaos of life.

3. How do the fishermen harm nature?
Answer: Fishermen harm nature by over-hunting and killing whales in the cold seas, contributing to the depletion of marine life and upsetting the ecological balance.

4. What sublime impact would keeping quiet have?
Answer: Keeping quiet would lead to a cessation of violence against nature and allow individuals, like the salt gatherer, to finally notice and attend to their own physical and mental suffering ("hurt hands").

Q4. Extract Based questions
“Perhaps the earth can teach us
As when everything seems dead
And later proves to be alive.
Now I will count up to twelve
And you keep quiet and I will go.”

i) What does the earth teach us?
Answer: The earth teaches us that there is life under apparent stillness. It demonstrates that what might appear dead (like a dormant seed in winter) eventually finds new life, proving that silence and inactivity are not the same as death.

ii) "Perhaps the earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive" Which poetic device is used in the above lines?
(a) Anaphora
(b) Alliteration
(c) Apostrophe
(d) Analogy
Answer: (d) Analogy

iii) What does the poet want to achieve by counting up to twelve?
(a) controlling anger
(b) introspection
(c) wasting time
(d) recollecting counting
Answer: (b) introspection

iv) The poetic device used in this expression “the earth can teach us” is ______
Answer: Personification

Q5. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow (CBSE Question Bank)
For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any language, let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much. It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

1. The poet uses the word “let’s” to __
(a) initiate a conversation between the poet and the readers.
(b) invite readers as part of the poem’s larger call to humanity.
(c) welcome readers into the world of the poem and its subject.
(d) address readers as fellow members of the human race.
Answer: (b) invite readers as part of the poem’s larger call to humanity.

2. Margaret Atwood said, “Language divides us into fragments, I wanted to be whole.” Choose the option that correctly comments on the relationship between Margaret Atwood’s words and the line from the above extract – “let’s not speak in any language”
(a) Atwood endorses Neruda’s call to not speak in any language.
(b) Atwood justifies Neruda’s request to not engage in any speaking.
(c) Atwood undermines Neruda’s intent to stop and not speak in any language.
(d) Atwood surrenders to Neruda’s desire for silence and not speak in any language.
Answer: (a) Atwood endorses Neruda’s call to not speak in any language.

3. Why do you think the poet employs words like “exotic” and “strangeness”?
(a) To highlight the importance of everyone being together suddenly for once.
(b) To emphasize the frenetic activity and chaos that usually envelops human life.
(c) To indicate the unfamiliarity of a sudden moment without rush or without engine.
(d) To direct us towards keeping quiet and how we would all be together in that silence.
Answer: (c) To indicate the unfamiliarity of a sudden moment without rush or without engine.

4. Choose the option that correctly matches the idioms given in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
Column A: 1. On the face of the earth | 2. What on earth | 3. Move heaven and earth | 4. The salt of the earth
Column B: (i) In existence | (ii) To do all possible to accomplish something | (iii) To express surprise or shock | (iv) To be good and worthy
Answer: 1-(i), 2-(iii), 3-(ii), 4-(iv)

Short answer Questions 

Q1. What is Pablo Neruda’s complaint against fishermen? (Keeping Quiet)
Answer: The poet feels that fishermen are a threat to the marine life since they kill and hunt whales causing their extinction. He wants them to stop their destructive activities and reflect on the harm they are causing to the ecosystem.

Q2. What is the sadness that the poet refers to in the poem?
Answer: The poet refers to the sadness of failing to understand ourselves and pushing ourselves to the brink of extinction. The poet feels that we are destroying ourselves by upsetting our harmony with nature and ruining the relationship we share with each other with our selfishness.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS:

Q3. What will counting up to twelve help us achieve?
Answer: Counting up to twelve provides a framework for a brief period of silence. It helps us achieve a state of stillness necessary for introspection, allowing us to halt our mindless rush and evaluate our impact on the world and our fellow beings.

Q4. In a world that is constantly running after “more”, chasing the next new things, would it be fair to think of Neruda’s call as merely fanciful idea?
Answer: No, it is a survival necessity rather than a fanciful idea. In a world of overconsumption and environmental crises, the call for stillness is a practical plea to stop the momentum toward self-destruction and reclaim our humanity through reflection.

Q5. How will keeping quiet protect environment?
Answer: Keeping quiet stops mechanical activity ("without engines") and destructive pursuits like whale hunting. This temporary cessation of human interference allows nature to breathe and recover, highlighting the link between human introspection and environmental preservation.

Q6. What is the significance of twelve?
Answer: The number twelve represents the divisions of time—the twelve hours on a clock or the twelve months in a year. By using it, the poet suggests that we need to take a moment out of time to understand time itself and our place within it.

Q7. “Life is what it is about…” How is keeping quiet, related to life?
Answer: Keeping quiet is not an invitation to death but a way to enhance life. It allows us to clear the mental noise and "truck with death" (meaningless destruction), helping us understand the essence of living in harmony with others and the earth.

Q8. Mention the symbol from nature which the poet invokes to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?
Answer: The poet invokes the symbol of the Earth. He points out that the Earth appears still and dead during certain cycles (like winter), yet it eventually proves to be alive with new growth (in spring), showing that silence can be fertile.

Q9. What is the ‘exotic moment’ that the poet refers to?
Answer: The "exotic moment" refers to a universal halt of all activity, noise, and conflict. It is exotic because it is entirely outside our normal experience of constant movement, language barriers, and mechanical rush.

Q10. What does the earth teach us? Is the prognosis bad for us or is there still hope according to the poet?
Answer: The earth teaches us the power of patience and latent life. According to the poet, there is still hope; just as a seed grows into a tree after a period of dormancy, humanity can survive if we learn to stop our destructive race and introspect.

Long Answer/CCT Based Questions.

Q1. ...... but will keep A bower quiet for us. (A Thing of Beauty)
Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive. (Keeping Quiet)
Based on ideas from 'Keeping Quiet' and 'A Thing of Beauty', as President of Eco Club of your school. Draft a speech on the importance of preserving nature for posterity.
Answer: Good morning to one and all! After reading both the poems, I strongly believe its time to take conservation of environment on a serious note. Our mother earth has bounties to offer and its our duty to conserve them. We must realize that all the natural resources that we are enjoying, the beauty of nature – trees old and young providing a shady boon to the simple earth, the rivers etc are fast being depleted. We are to be blamed for the same. If only we had paid heed to warnings by nature and not been so selfish about thinking only about ourselves, about preparing wars against our fellow human beings to satisfy our greedy desires we would not be facing the dire consequences of global warming. We must remember that it is the duty of every one to preserve our earth for posterity. Perhaps the earth can teach us that there is still hope – under apparent stillness, when everything seems to be dead, like a seed sown or in autumn season and later a new lease of life is given to it with the germination of the seed or with the onset of spring. I hope the message is clear and loud. Let’s all join hands to make the earth a better place to live. Thank You.

Q2. Imagine you are Pablo Neruda of ‘Keeping Quiet. He advises Robert Frost (Road side Stand) in the context of his conflict and pain at the plight of the road side stand owners. Pen down your advice in a letter to Robert Frost.
Answer: Dear Robert,
I recently read your poem, "A Roadside Stand," and was struck by the conflicting emotions that you expressed towards the end. I understand that it can be difficult to make decisions when we are overwhelmed by our emotions. In my own experience, I have found that taking a moment of stillness and reflecting can be very helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of the situation and connecting with our own humanity and that of others. This is the message that I try to convey in my poem, "Keeping Quiet."
I would advise you to take a moment to be still and contemplative before making any decisions about the fate of the people at the roadside stand. By quieting your mind and being present in the moment, you may be able to understand their struggles and pain objectively, and gain a new perspective about your own place in the world too. I also feel that by breaking from your routine and taking a moment of stillness and reflection, you might gain a deeper understanding of the situation and make a more functional decision. I believe that this moment of reflection could help you to see beyond your conflicting emotions. We are all human, after all, and before connecting with others, and resolving their issues, we must try to connect with our own selves to advise from a place of balance and calm. I hope this advice is helpful to you. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to support you.
Warm Regards,
Pablo Neruda