Read the excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

Question

I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

I do not think that they will sing to me.

What does Prufrock mean in the last line: “I do not think they will sing to me”?
He does not think women find him attractive.
He is concerned about being alone on the beach.
He is concerned about growing older.
He does not think mermaids are real.

Answer 1

In the line "I do not think that they will sing to me," Prufrock is expressing a sense of inadequacy and self-doubt. He feels disconnected and believes he does not have the qualities that would make him attractive or appealing to others, particularly women. Therefore, the best interpretation of that line is:

He does not think women find him attractive.

This reflects Prufrock's broader themes of alienation and insecurity throughout the poem.

Answer 2

Read the excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets
And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes
Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows? . . .

I should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.

Which words best indicate that Prufrock feels isolated?
narrow, lonely, silent
streets, windows, seas
smoke, pipes, floors
rises, leaning, scuttling

Answer 3

The words that best indicate that Prufrock feels isolated are:

narrow, lonely, silent

These words convey a sense of confinement, solitude, and emptiness, reflecting Prufrock's feelings of isolation.

Answer 4

Read the excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

In this excerpt, “the eternal Footman” is most likely an allusion to
the poet.
a servant.
Death.
the universe.

Answer 5

In this excerpt, “the eternal Footman” is most likely an allusion to

Death.

The phrase suggests a figure that symbolizes the inevitability of death, and the idea of holding Prufrock's coat and snickering implies a mocking or indifferent attitude towards his fears and mortality. This aligns with the overarching themes of existential anxiety and the passage of time present in the poem.

Answer 6

Read the excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:

How is this excerpt an example of dramatic monologue?
The narrator is using long, interconnected sentences.
The narrator is able to see into two character’s heads.
The narrator is addressing the audience directly.
The narrator is jumping from one topic to the next topic.

Answer 7

This excerpt is an example of a dramatic monologue because:

The narrator is addressing the audience directly.

In a dramatic monologue, the speaker typically reveals their thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences while speaking to a silent listener or an audience. Prufrock's address invites readers into his inner world, making it a clear example of this poetic form.

Answer 8

Read the excerpt from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."

Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.

The excerpt is narrated using which literary technique?
simile
dialogue between two characters
allusion
stream of consciousness

Answer 9

The excerpt is narrated using the literary technique of stream of consciousness.

This technique presents the thoughts and feelings of the narrator in a fluid, often disjointed manner, reflecting their internal monologue. Prufrock’s musings and questions convey a sense of his anxious and introspective state of mind.

Answer 10

Which lines from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" provide an example of stream of consciousness?
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair —
And indeed there will be time
For the yellow smoke that slides along the street,
Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;

Answer 11

The lines that provide an example of stream of consciousness are:

"And indeed there will be time / To wonder, 'Do I dare?' and, 'Do I dare?' / Time to turn back and descend the stair, / With a bald spot in the middle of my hair — / And indeed there will be time / For the yellow smoke that slides along the street, / Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;"

These lines reflect Prufrock's flowing thoughts, hesitations, and self-reflections, characteristic of the stream of consciousness technique. The movements from contemplation about time to personal concerns (like his bald spot) to observations of the surroundings illustrate the inner workings of his mind.