Blake Fletcher
AP English
T.S. Eliot “The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” Response
“The Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot is a poem that displays many different subtle messages hidden inside the text. It is very complicated but here is what I got out of it.
J. Alfred Prufrock is debating on whether or not to go to a party. He is self conscious about himself in several different ways. He is worried people will notice that he is balding and talk behind his back. He is also worried that people will judge him for how thin he is. I also think that Eliot repeats the line “In the room the women come and go talking of Michelangelo.” To show his insecurity possibly, maybe it is his way of comparing himself to greatness or showing resentment against someone who is famous and has completed a lot. Maybe he wishes girls where talking about him. J. Alfred also has this odd way of talking about women, it seems he is almost appalled by them. When he talks about the women’s arm hair he says it as if he is disgusted.
Also, J. Alfred Prufrock says something very interesting when he says “I grow old… I grow old… I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled” This section just reinforces my original idea that he is self-conscious about his age. The thought of himself aging seems to be lingering on his mind.
In the end of the poem it seems that his depressed thoughts seem to be brought to the public by the last line “Til’ human voices wake us, and we drown.” This seems to be a rather depressing ending for a love song. Then again, I guess this poem wasn’t much of a love song to begin with, just a poem about some old guy being depressed about people judging him.
Blake there's a lot more to explore in this poem. You'll need to look closely at each line/each image and reflect on what it means or what it is trying to do or add to the poem. The poem is much more than just "some old guy being depressed about people judging him." The question for you: why or how is it more then this?
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