module 4: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what do the mermaids near the end of the poem most likely symbolize?

Unattainable dreams

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what literary allusion appears when Prufrock says, “I am not Prince Hamlet”?

Hamlet

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what does Prufrock imply by saying, “I am no prophet”?

He believes he is insignificant

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what is the effect of the repeated question, “Do I dare?”

It reveals hesitation and self-doubt

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what does the line “I have known them all already” reveal about Prufrock’s outlook?

He feels life has become repetitive

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what does the image of the “yellow fog” that “rubs its back upon the window-panes” resemble?

A cat

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what does the line “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons” suggest about Prufrock’s life?

His life has become repetitive and routine

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what happens in the final image when “human voices wake us, and we drown”?

Reality overwhelms imagination

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what effect does the simile comparing the evening to “a patient etherized upon a table” create?

Emotional paralysis and unease

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” what does Prufrock mean when he says, “There will be time”?

He postpones taking action