“Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?"

T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock reveals the shortcomings of a self- conscious man, who fearfully succumbs to the power of love at the expense of his self-identity. Prufrock initially is hopeful, determined, and strong willed, but this hope splatters in the vortex of silence.  Evidently, self-awareness even in seemingly insignificant situations has become paramount for the emotionally disillusioned man: “Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?” (line 122). The man’s mind has become obsessed with impressing others .The questions expose his insecurities and mania about his appearance even though parting his hair and eating a peach are two ridiculously insignificant tasks. Still, he worries about the way others perceive him. This “emic” perspective emphasizes other opinions as superior the objective truth. Confused about the way he wants to depict himself, the man is confused. With his channels being blocked by the anxiety of judgment, he is paralyzed. The interrogative sentences reveal his self-consciousness, unable to confirm what he should do with his life. Therefore, his blurry identity is compared to the London fog because he is romantically confused and disillusioned. This frustration is even reflected in the cacophony of the diction chosen.