How Do I Look?
J. Alfred Prufrock's Self-Opinion
Prufrock's Self-Opinion and its Consequences
Personal Appearance
Prufrock fears standing out. In the poem Prufrock convinces himself not too talk to a woman, stating that if he did, people would comment on his hair "growing thin" and how is "arms and legs are thin". Therefore, Prufrock views himself as ugly and disgusting.
Free Like a Cat
Prufrock is incapable of action throughout his life, fulfilling undesirable activities. He believes the cat lives a life of freedom and wishes he could achieve this. Prufrock wishes he could be free from the judgmental world he lives in. He tells the story of a cat and what it does throughout the day. Unable to realize the cat does absolutely nothing productive.
Bumbling Fool
Prufrock considers himself to be like Polonus from "Hamlet". In "Hamlet", Polonius is considered to be a fool whose words do not have a purpose and therefore, Prufrock is unknowingly putting himself down, once again.