(no subject)
Part 1: Reflection
When I read “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” for the first time, I actually laughed. It is not the definition of a love song, or a proclamation of love by any means. What it sounds like to me, is an ode to his life. He doesn’t seem to like himself all that much, or be very proud of his life or accomplishments. Prufrock poses the question many times if things were “worth it, or worth while”. This to me suggests that he is looking back at his own life and questioning whether or not he lived up to his potential. He also talks a lot about people laughing at him and even calls himself “almost, at times, the Fool”. While the poem is called a “Love Song”, it seems as though J. Alfred Prufrock loathes himself, and much of his life.
Part 2: Looking Ahead
One of the main themes that stuck out to me in the Myth of Demeter and Persephone was that of Mother Nature. Demeter was responsible for crops and food, basically for nourishing people. When her daughter was kidnapped by Hades, Demeter spent days searching for her daughter. During that time, the crops failed. The people were left with no food or water due to Demeter’s grief and she was in turn destroying life on Earth. Only when she had her daughter returned to her did the crops continue to grow and feed the people of Greece. The theme of that aspect of the myth refers to how we as people mistreat Mother Nature, and that if we don’t respect and care for her, we will lose all that she provides.
When I read “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” for the first time, I actually laughed. It is not the definition of a love song, or a proclamation of love by any means. What it sounds like to me, is an ode to his life. He doesn’t seem to like himself all that much, or be very proud of his life or accomplishments. Prufrock poses the question many times if things were “worth it, or worth while”. This to me suggests that he is looking back at his own life and questioning whether or not he lived up to his potential. He also talks a lot about people laughing at him and even calls himself “almost, at times, the Fool”. While the poem is called a “Love Song”, it seems as though J. Alfred Prufrock loathes himself, and much of his life.
Part 2: Looking Ahead
One of the main themes that stuck out to me in the Myth of Demeter and Persephone was that of Mother Nature. Demeter was responsible for crops and food, basically for nourishing people. When her daughter was kidnapped by Hades, Demeter spent days searching for her daughter. During that time, the crops failed. The people were left with no food or water due to Demeter’s grief and she was in turn destroying life on Earth. Only when she had her daughter returned to her did the crops continue to grow and feed the people of Greece. The theme of that aspect of the myth refers to how we as people mistreat Mother Nature, and that if we don’t respect and care for her, we will lose all that she provides.