"The Struggle to lean an Authentic Life"

RESPONSES

  The first work I read today was the poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, written by T.S. Eliot. This story was about the poem's character Prufrock constantly thinking of what others thought of him. I think that he was anxious about a woman and possibly asking her a serious question; maybe a proposal? (lines 106-110). In stanza 6, Purfrock talks of meeting a woman. However, he is nervous because he thinks he will be judged by his appearance and clothes. I think that he may also be concerned with aging: "With a bald spot in the middle of my hair". Purfrock's thinking is sometimes how we think today. We tend to over analyze ourselves, especially if we are going before a person/or people we have never met before. As the poem continues on Prufrock begins to even doubt if it would matter if he approaches the woman or not. He feels like things are becoming redundant, and he has seen these people before (stanza 7). I think that Prufrock just wants to be accepted. Accepted for being himself, and also not to have his advances rejected.

  The last work I read for today's blog posting was by Allen Ginsberg, a poem called Howl. My first thoughts were: 'WOW." It is very obvious from the opening lines that Ginsberg is upset; he is upset about his generation and its demise. He feels that the "great minds" of his generation have been lost to a multitude of things, and Part I of this poem expresses that. Ginsberg names many things that various people have wasted their lives away with: drugs, sex, alcohol. I think that this poem was written after WWII. Many people after the war were scarred from the war, and some veterans could not get jobs. Also, racism was still a big factor in America at the time. These are just a few of the things that Ginsberg feels his generation has been lost to. Ginsberg feels that conformity and the advent of technology are driving his generation mad. When they deviate from the norms of society they become loss in many different things, and because of this Ginsberg feels they succumb to conformity when they try to retreat back to the norms of society. 

  I think that both authors choose a pessimistic view in their poems to display their frustrations with society. They believe in being one's true self, but society does not alway promote this.

QUESTIONS

1. Why does Prufrock feel like he may be rejected? Is it solely because of his appearance? 
2. Does Ginseng feel that his generation is a lot cause? In his poem we read earlier, he still had hope for America that was represented by the sunflower. Does he still feel like there is hope left?

CONNECTIONS

• Life after a war is not always easy, even if the country returns with a win. Do you think this same sense of "loss" will be seen in our generation after the War in Iraq is completed? Or is conformity at an all time high already?