Keeping Things Whole

Mark Strand, in his poem "Keeping Things Whole" he explains to look as a whole , if we start looking things by part it has no meaning.The poet pleads for wholeness against the usual fragmentation that goes on in life. The poet believes in whole part and not in partial. He knows the value of each and every part of nature to present nature as a whole. He tries to know the value of each and every small and small constituents of nature to continue the wholeness of nature. The poet indirectly pleads human beings to fill the gaps in nature if they separate the parts of nature. The poet indirectly pleads human beings to keep nature whole by conserving its very small part in every small part in every nook and corner.

The poem deals with two separate things of anything, which are part and whole. Nature has small parts small parts. It is divided into the separate elements. He has lost himself in the field. He is losing himself everywhere. The poet parts the air forward but it becomes whole behind him. He only makes the air whole, not a part. But everything becomes whole itself. We see the field, air, etc as a part, not as a complete. Our lives are also parted but it is the only illusion. If we try to make separate parts, that is only hollowness of concept.

The poet has presented himself in the field missing and parting in the air and he is whole not part in the bank drop.  He is not happy with himself because he is an intruder in the natural environment. He feels that he is  disturbing and damaging the natural wholeness that is why air moves to fill the spaces occupied by his body while he walks. He becomes careful not to disturb the wholeness of things in the environment.

The poet suggests that if human being involves encouraging the existence of nature, nature also gives the reaction. The poet becomes very much sensitive for the delicate balance of nature.
The last stanza suggests that we all move to make a whole, not part. The poet moves forward and the parts the air but it becomes whole again. So, what we think of being parted i.e; that is wrong. Everything in the world is whole.

UNDERSTANDING (page 116)

1.Interpret the poem in any way you like .
Ans. ( Look the summary above. )

2. How does the poet view himself in the field, in the air and in the backdrop?
Ans. He is the absence in the field. In the air he divides the air into parts. In the backdrop he moves to keep it whole.The poet has presented himself in the field missing and parting in the air and he is whole not part in the bank drop.  He is not happy with himself because he is an intruder in the natural environment. He feels that he is  disturbing and damaging the natural wholeness that is why air moves to fill the spaces occupied by his body while he walks. He becomes careful not to disturb the wholeness of things in the environment.


3. What does the last stanza suggest?
Ans. The last stanza suggests that we all move to make a whole, not part. The poet moves forward and the parts the air but it becomes whole again. So, what we think of being parted i.e; that is wrong. Everything in the world is whole and everyone keeps moving to complete their tasks, but the poet moves to keep things whole.



 Tips for exam 

* The same above questions are asked in exam but for 5 marks or sometime for 10 marks
You should elaborate the answers.

* To Elaborate Every time you write a short summary in 1st paragraph,

* Now give the answer of asked questions in 2nd paragraph,

* If you don't feel bore writing answers you can make it of 3 paragraphs by concluding the main theme of answer in 3rd paragraph.