Question

Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions that follow :
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
a) Write the name of the poet and the title of the poem from which the extract has been taken.
b) What is the 'sadness' the poet is alluding to ?
c) In what sense do the lines reflect the challenges of the modern lifestyle ?

Hint:

When answering questions on a poetry extract, quote or refer to specific words or phrases from the given lines to support your interpretation. This demonstrates a close reading of the text.

Answer 1

Step 1: Identifying the Poem:
The extract's theme of silence, introspection, and stopping activity is characteristic of a specific poem.
Step 2: Naming the Poet and Poem:
The lines are taken from the poem 'Keeping Quiet' written by the poet Pablo Neruda.
Solution (for b):
Step 1: Analyzing the Extract:
The extract explicitly links 'sadness' to 'never understanding ourselves'.
Step 2: Explaining the Sadness:
The 'sadness' the poet alludes to is the profound sorrow that comes from a lack of introspection. It is the sadness of a mechanical and rushed life where people are so focused on constant activity ('keeping our lives moving') that they fail to understand their own actions, feelings, and purpose. This leads to a deep, underlying sense of emptiness.
% Solution for 9(c) Solution (for c):
Step 1: Connecting the Lines to Modern Life:
The phrases 'single-minded' and 'keeping our lives moving' are direct references to modern life's characteristics.
Step 2: Explaining the Challenge:
These lines reflect the primary challenge of the modern lifestyle: its relentless and frantic pace. People are 'single-minded' about progress, achievement, and constant activity, leaving no time for stillness or self-reflection. This obsession with 'moving' creates a disconnect from one's inner self, leading to the sadness of a life lived without true understanding or meaning, which is a significant challenge of contemporary existence.