The Chambers of a Mans Mind

In the poem ?The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,? T.S. Eliot portrays Prufrock as being a lonely, insignificant man who has imprisoned himself within the chambers of his mind. Prufrock lacks confidence, has no conviction, and wastes his time in neurotic self-absorption. Prufrock has devoted his entire life to preparing ?a face to meet the faces that you meet? (L.27), but his neurotic self-absorption and lack of self-worth have prevented him from becoming a significant man. Prufrock?s doubts and uncertainty have left him paralyzed ?like a patient etherized upon a table? (L.3). As a result, he has become obsessed about what his past indiscretions were, his place in society now, and his destiny in the future.

Prufrock has led an inconsequential life, which he has ?measured out with coffee spoons? (L.51). He has personally experienced the ?insidious intent? (L.9) of the grimy city streets, and his own personal transgressions have left him a forlorn, isolated man. His loneliness has prevented him from acquiring any kind of prestigious place in society. Like ?the pools that stand in drains,? (L.18) and ?the soot that falls from chimneys,?(L.16), Prufrock has fallen into the labyrin

grotesquely disproportioned. Even though Prufrock knows that his less than sophisticated appearance has hindered him in his life, he is yet again filled with doubt and indecision as to how he should alter his appearance. As he grows older, Prufrock fills the chambers of his mind with many questions in regard to his vanity. ?Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare eat a peach? Shall I wear white flannel trousers? (L.22, L.23)? Prufrock?s irrational narcissism about how he will live the remainder of his life signifies that while he is unable to erase the indiscretions of his past, he is searching for redemption.

Prufrock?s struggle to find peace within himself has forced him to become a neurotic, self-absorbed individual. He has participated in the sordid events of the city while lingering on the outskirts of high society, yearning to escape what can only be described as a living hell. However, his neurotic indecisiveness has left him an abandoned, insignificant man.

Prufrock?s neurotic self-absorption is most strongly portrayed through T.S. Eliot?s use of the phrase ?Let us go then you and I? (L.1). Prufrock faces an inner struggle between the man that he is and the man that he wants to be. He despises the fact the he has become comfortable with himself because he knows that he has not been a decent, honest individual. On the other hand, Prufrock also longs to leave his past mistakes behind him and become a better man. If ?I? (L.1) wins the struggle, Prufrock continues to live a dark, ?insidious? (L.9) life, but if ?you? (L.1) wins, he will be accepted into a higher place in society, and thus, become a more reputable person. Unfortunately, Prufrock realizes too late that he has waited too long to change his lifestyle, and that he is destined to remain imprisoned by his ?indecisions? (L.32), ?visions and r

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