There are many time references in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table; And seeing that it was a soft October night, Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.And the afternoon, the evening, sleeps so peacefully! Smoothed by long fingers, What is the most likely reason for Prufrock’s emphasis on the afternoon and evening hours?
Answer
A
He is comparing the daylight to his fear of being alone.
B
He prefers to stay home late in the day.
C
He prefers to go out late in the day.
D
He is comparing the time of day to his progressing age.
Explanation
Prufrock repeatedly describes the evening as if it were tired and settling down: it is “spread out” like a patient under anesthesia and “sleeps so peacefully.” These images suggest decline and the passage of time, which fits the poem’s concern with Prufrock growing older and feeling that his opportunities are slipping away. The references are therefore most likely comparing the time of day to his progressing age, not simply showing when he prefers to go out or stay home.
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