Entry 68: What's His Problem?

The “critical comment” on p. 662 of your text suggests that J. Alfred Prufrock has a problem. Now that we’ve had a very brief glimpse at Prufrock’s thoughts, what do you think that problem is? How would you describe it? How does the simile in lines 2-3 give us a clue to what is wrong with the narrator? What concerns does he reveal in lines 37-44? How do you think he feels about women, and how do you think he thinks women feel about him? What makes you think that? Use specific words from the poem to explain what is bothering Prufrock and what his problem is. Do you sympathize or identify with him? Explain.

• His problem is that he is too self-conscious; he cares too much about what others think of him. He hesitates and vacillates when it comes to decisions because he cannot decide which decision would please others and make others not think ill of him. Lines 2-3 suggest his depressing and negative nature, since he compared a natural, considerably beautiful scene, with an etherized patient. In lines 37-44, there is evidence showing that he's concerned about what others think of him. Prufrock wants to be with women mainly because he feels happy with them. However, he is afraid that the women don't like him that way and that he would take the intentions of the women in the wrong way. So generally, Prufrock is afraid that people will think ill of him, and he wants to prevent that. He is extremely self-conscious and he is never sure of himself. You could say that he has some signs of dependent personality disorder due to his inability to make decisions by himself, seeing as he ponders over possible circumstances too much. He is never sure of himself, even though he may appear confident, as lines 37-44 show (he's dress up, but people say he's thin).