20 May 2013

1. 20 May 2013 • Answer Yes or No to the following questions. Choose one statement to write 4-5 sentences about. You can provide an example, or just expand on the idea itself. And we are not sharing these, so just be truthful… • Do you ever feel like people just don’t “get” you? • Have you ever wanted to approach a person you’re attracted to, but just can’t get up enough courage to do it? • Do you ever feel awkward around members of the opposite sex (don’t know what to say or how to act)? • Have you ever wanted to change your appearance somehow, but were afraid to actually do it? • Do you ever feel like you’re on the outside looking in? • Do you ever feel like everyone is looking at you and criticizing you? • Have you ever had a hard time finding the right words to express yourself or how you’re feeling, so you just give up? • If you answered Yes to most of these questions congratulations, you’re probably a human with a pulse, and while Prufrock may be difficult to understand, you have some things in common with him!

2. Modernism • ***Rejected traditional subject matter and themes. • --No love, just the inability to commit to, or even communicate or connect with others. • --Nothing lasts. • ***No heroes or good guys. • --Focus on alienated individuals • ***Revealed important emotions and ideas with understatement and irony. • --Absence of “directness” • --Opposite of the Romantics and Transcendentalists before them • ***Use of symbols and images to suggest meaning • --No direct statements of meaning • --Frost’s “Acquainted with the Night”

3. Modernism • --Imagine …your every thought posted for others to read. Would they make logical sense to everyone? Do your thoughts follow a linear fashion? Are they always complete? • *** Use of “stream of consciousness” writing • --chaotic flow of images and ideas • --meant to represent the unfiltered thoughts of the speaker/writer • --often fragmented and (I”ll admit it) can be confusing to the reader! • Before reading “Prufrock” you have to be okay with not knowing and understanding everything. Know that Elliot was trying to mimic the inconsistent flow of our everyday thoughts and consciousness. Try to focus on things that you CAN relate to as a human being (think about the warm-up) and you will understand a good portion of it.

4. T.S. Elliot • Let’s read about T.S. Elliot • Page 928

5. While reading “J. Alfred prufrock”… • PAY ATTENTION TO: • “Sinister” streets • Women • Eating/drinking • Body Parts • Ocean symbols • Allusions to other famous works • Rooms

6. Annotating “J. Alfred prufrock” • Read over the poem carefully. Don’t get discouraged, just keep going!!! • Annotate for imagery. Draw a box around the images that T.S. Elliot paints in your mind. Make a notation as to the image he’s chosen and what it means. What feeling does this image give to the poem? You may even want to sketch a picture in the margin. • Highlight every question J. Alfred asks. What is he asking? Remember that Modernists do not state exactly what they mean, they use understatement and irony. Why is he asking this question? • What are J. Alfred’s fears? List them in the margin. Do you have these same fears (TS)? • Make sure to read the footnotes in the Gold lit book for help on some words you may not know (V). • Author’s purpose: Ask T.S. Elliot questions as you read as to words or phrases he’s constructed and chosen. Write these questions down