美国文学复习标准答案

术语解释1、 Puritanism:Puritanismisthepracticesandbeliefsofthepuritans.ThePuritanswereoriginallymembersofadivisionoftheprotestantchurchwhowantedtopurifytheirreligiousbeliefsandpractices.Theyacceptedthedoctrinesofpredestination,originalsinandtotaldepravity,andlimitedatonementthroughaspecialinfusionofgracefromGod.Americanliteratureinthe17thcenturymostlyconsistedofPuritanliterature.PuritanismhadanenduringinfluenceonAmericanliterature.Ithadbecome,tosomeextent,somuchastateofmind,somuchapartofnationalculturalatmosphere,ratherthanasetoftenets.2、 Alliteration:Alliterationistherepeatedoccurrenceofthesameconsonantsoundatthebeginningofseveralwordsinthesamephrase.3、Symbolism4、School-roomPoets5、AmericanRomanticism6、 AmericanRealism:InAmericanliterature,theCivilWarbroughttheRomanticPeriodtoanend.TheAgeofRealismcameintoexistence.Itcameasareactionagainstthelieofromanticismandsentimentalism.Realismturnedfromanemphasisonthestrangetowardafaithfulrenderingoftheordinary,asliceoflifeasitisreallylived.Itexpressestheconcernforcommonplaceandthelow,anditoffersanobjectiveratherthananidealisticviewofhumannatureandhumanexperience.7、 PsychologicalRealism:Itistherealisticwritingthatprobesdeeplyintothecomplexitiesofcharacters5thoughtsandmotivations.HenryJamesisconsideredthefounderofpsychologicalrealism.HisnovelTheAmbassadorsisconsideredtobeamasterpieceofpsychologicalrealism.8、 AmericanNaturalism:Americannaturalismwasanewandharsherrealism.Americannaturalismhadbeenshapedbythewar;bythesocialupheavalsthatunderminedthecomfortingfaithofanearlierage.America'sliterarynaturalistsdismissedthevalidityofcomfortingmoraltruths.Theyattemptedtoachieveextremeobjectivityandfrankness,presentingcharactersoflowsocialandeconomicclasseswhoweredeterminedbytheirenvironmentandheredity.Inpresentingtheextremesoflife,thenaturalistssometimesdisplayedanaffinitytothesensationalismofearlyromanticism,butunliketheirromanticpredecessors,thenaturalistsemphasizedthattheworldwasamoral,thatmenandwomenhadnofreewill,thatliveswerecontrolledbyheredityandenvironment,thatthedestinyofhumanitywasmiseryinlifeandoblivionindeath.Althoughnaturalistliteraturedescribedtheworldwithsometimesbrutalrealism,itsometimesalsoaimedatbetteringtheworldthroughsocialreform.9、 Regionalism：Regionalismasatrendfirstmadeitspresencefeltinthelate1860sandearlyseventiesinAmerica.Itmaybedefinedasthecarefulattegogomsinspeech,dressorbehaviorpeculiartoageographicallocality.Theultimateaimofthelocalcoloristsistocreatetheillusionofanindigenouslittleworldwithqualitiesthattellitapartfromtheworldoutside.ThesocialandintellectualclimateofthecountryprovidedastimulatingmilieuforthegrowthoflocalcolorfictioninAmerica.Localcoloristsconcernedthemselveswithpresentingandinterpretingthelocalcharacteroftheirregions.Theytendedtoidealizeandglorify,buttheyneverforgottokeepaneyeonthetruthfulcoloroflocallife.Theyformedanimportantpartoftherealisticmovement.Althoughitlostitsmomentumtowardtheendofthe19thcentury,thelocalspiritcontinuedtoinspireandfertilizetheimaginationofauthor.10、 TheGildedAge：theGildedAgereferstotheeraofrapideconomicandpopulationgrowthintheUnitedStatesduringthepost-CivilWarandpost-Reconstructionerasofthelate19thcentury(1865-1901).Theterm"GildedAge"wascoinedbyMarkTwainandCharlesDudleyWarnerintheir1873book,TheGildedAge:ATaleof.(Thenamereferstotheprocessofgildingandismeanttoridiculeostentatiousdisplay.11、 LocalColorism:LocalColorismorRegionalismasatrendfirstmadeitspresencefeltinthelate1860sandearlyseventiesinAmerica.Itmaybedefinedasthecarefulattegogomsinspeech,dressorbehaviorpeculiartoageographicallocality.Theultimateaimofthelocalcoloristsistocreatetheillusionofanindigenouslittleworldwithqualitiesthattellitapartfromtheworldoutside.ThesocialandintellectualclimateofthecountryprovidedastimulatingmilieuforthegrowthoflocalcolorfictioninAmerica.Localcoloristsconcernedthemselveswithpresentingandinterpretingthelocalcharacteroftheirregions.Theytendedtoidealizeandglorify,buttheyneverforgottokeepaneyeonthetruthfulcoloroflocallife.Theyformedanimportantpartoftherealisticmovement.Althoughitlostitsmomentumtowardtheendofthe19thcentury,thelocalspiritcontinuedtoinspireandfertilizetheimaginationofauthor.12、 LostGeneration:Thistermhasbeenusedagainandagaintodescribethepeopleofthepostwaryears.ItdescribestheAmericanswhoremainedinParisasacolonyof“expatriates”orexiles.ItdescribesthewriterslikeHemingwaywholivedinsemipoverty.ItdescribestheAmericanswhoreturnedtotheirnativelandwithanintenseawarenessoflivinginanunfamiliarchangingworld.TheyoungEnglishandAmericanexpatriates,menandwomen,werecaughtinthewarandcutofffromtheoldvaluesandyetunabletocometotermswiththenewerawhencivilizationhadgonemad.Theywanderedpointlesslyandrestlessly,enjoyingthingslikefishing,swimming,bullfightandbeautiesofnature,buttheywereawareallthewhilethattheworldiscrazyandmeaninglessandfutile.Theirwholelifeisundercutanddefeated.82.Lyric:Apoem,usuallyashortone,thatexpressesaspeaker'spersonalthoughtsorfeelings.Theelegy,ode,andsonnetareallformsofthelyric.13、 Imagism:It'sapoeticmovementofEnglandandtheU.S.flourishedfrom1909to1917.Themovementinsistsonthecreationofimagesinpoetryby“thedirecttreatmentofthething”andtheeconomyofwording.TheleadersofthismovementwereEzraPoundandAmyLowell.14、 Impressionism：Impressionismwasaformofartisticexpressioninthe19thcentury.Itwasmostpervasiveinpainting,butitwasalsofoundinliteratureandart.Theterm“impressionism”firstappearedin1874inanewspaperreviewofanexhibitionheldinthestudiobyagroupofyoungpainters.ItwastakendirectlyfromthetitleofMonet‘sImpression：Sunrise.15、 HemingwayHeroes16、Steam-of-Consciousness:“Stream-of-Consciousness”or“interiormonologue”，isoneofthemodernliterarytechniques.Itisthestyleofwritingthatattemptstoimitatethenaturalflowofacharacter'sthoughts,feelings,reflections,memories,andmentalimagesasthecharacterexperiencesthem.Itwasfirstusedin1922bytheIrishnovelistJamesJoyce.Thosenovelsbrokethroughtheboundsoftimeandspace,anddepictedvividlyandskillfullytheunconsciousactivityofthemindfastchangingandflowingincessantly,particularlythehesitant,misted,distractedandillusorypsychologypeoplehadwhentheyfacedreality.ThemodernAmericanwriterWilliamFaulknersuccessfullyadvancedthistechnique.Inhisstories,actionandplotswerelessimportantthanthereactionsandinnermusingsofthenarrators.Timesequenceswereoftendislocated.Thereaderfeelshimselftobeaparticipantinthestories,ratherthananobserver.Ahighdegreeofemotioncanbeachievedbythistechnique.17、 MultiplePointsofView:ItisoneoftheliterarytechniquesWilliamFaulknerused,whichshowswithinthesamestoryhowthecharactersreacteddifferentlytothesamepersonorthesamesituation.Theuseofthistechniquegavethestoryacircularformwhereinoneeventwasthecenter,withvariouspointsofviewradiatingfromit.Themultiplepointsofviewtechniquemakesthereaderrecognizethedifficultyofarrivingatatruejudgment.18、 TheJazzAge:TheJazzAgedescribestheperiodaftertheendofWorldWarI,throughtheRoaringTwenties,endingwiththeonsetoftheGreatDepression.TraditionalvaluesofthepreviousperioddeclinedwhiletheAmericanstockmarketsoared.Theagetakesitsnamefrompopularmusic,whichsawatremendoussurgeinpopularity.Amongtheprominentconcernsandtrendsoftheperiodarethepublicembraceoftechnologicaldevelopmentstypicallyseenasprogress—cars,airtravelandthetelephone-aswellasnewmodernisttrendsinsocialbehavior,thearts,andculture.CentraldevelopmentsincludedArtDecodesignandarchitecture.ThephrasewascoinedbythewriterF.ScottFitzgerald,whogreatlycriticizedthisneweraof'relaxation'innovelssuchasTheGreatGatsby.19、 TheEraofModernism：Theyearsfrom1910to1930areoftencalledtheEraofModernism,forthereseemstohavebeeninbothEuropeandAmericaastrongawarenessofsomesortof“break”withthepast.Thenewartistssharedadesiretocapturethecomplexityofmodernlife,tofocusonthevarietyandconfusionofthe20thcenturybyreshapingandsometimesdiscardingtheideasandhabitsofthe19thcentury.TheEraofModernismwasindeedtheeraoftheNew.20、 Confessionalpoetry:Confessionalpoetryemphasizestheintimate,andsometimesunflattering,informationaboutdetailsofthepoet'spersonallife,suchasinpoemsaboutillness,sexuality,anddespondence.Theconfessionalistlabelwasappliedtoanumberofpoetsofthe1950sand1960s.JohnBerryman,AllenGinsberg,RobertLowell,SylviaPlath,TheodoreRoethke,AnneSexton,andWilliamDeWittSnodgrasshaveallbeencalled'ConfessionalPoets'.Asfreshanddifferentastheworkofthesepoetsappearedatthetime,itisalsotruethatseveralpoetsprominentinthecanonofWesternliterature,perhapsmostnotablySextusPropertiusandPetrarch,couldeasilysharethelabelof"confessional"withtheconfessionalpoetsofthefiftiesandsixties.21、 BeatGeneration：TheBeatGenerationinAmericareferstoagroupofAmericanyoungsterswhorefusedtoaccept“respectability”andconventionalsocialbehaviourandwhocultivatedarootlessmannerofliving.ThedistinctivefeaturesoftheBeatGenerationisthattheyusedaspecialslanglanguageandlovedjazz.TheBeatGenerationwasrepresentedbyGinsberg‘sHowlandJackKeroual‘sontheroad.22、 Dramaticconflict23、 Feminism:Feminismreferstopolitical,cultural,andeconomicmovementsaimedatestablishinggreaterrightsandlegalprotectionsforwomen.Feminismincludessomeofthesociologicaltheoriesandphilosophiesconcernedwithissuesofgenderdifference.Itisalsoamovementthatcampaignsforwomen'srightsandinterests.[1][2][3][4][5]NancyCottdefinesfeminismasthebeliefintheimportanceofgenderequality,invalidatingtheideaofgenderhierarchyasasociallyconstructedconcept.24、 Theshortstory25、Ecocriticism:Ecocriticismisthestudyofliteratureandenvironmentfromaninterdisciplinarypointofviewwhereallsciencescometogethertoanalyzetheenvironmentandbrainstormpossiblesolutionsforthecorrectionofthecontemporaryenvironmentalsituation.Ecocriticismwasofficiallyheraldedbythepublicationoftwoseminalworks,bothpublishedinthemid-1990s:TheEcocriticismReader,editedbyCheryllGlotfeltyandHaroldFromm,andTheEnvironmentalImagination,byLawrenceBuell.IntheUnitedStates,EcocriticismisoftenassociatedwiththeAssociationfortheStudyofLiteratureandEnvironment(ASLE),whichhostsbiennialmeetingsforscholarswhodealwithenvironmentalmattersinliterature.ASLEhasanofficialjournal—InterdisciplinaryStudiesinLiteratureandEnvironment(ISLE)—inwhichmuchofthemostcurrentAmericanscholarshipintherapidlyevolvingfieldofecocriticismcanbefound.Ecocriticismisanintentionallybroadapproachthatisknownbyanumberofotherdesignations,including"green(cultural)studies","ecopoetics",and"environmentalliterarycriticism".作品连线(略)回答问题WhatarethecharacteristicsofEdgarAllenPoe'swriting?Poe'sstyleistraditional.Itismuchtoorational,tooordinarytoreflectthepeculiarityofhistheme.itisfluentandcoherent.poe'schoiceofwordshissyntaxmayhavebeenresponsibleforhisdifficultprose.Occasionallyfeelshismannerismhinderingasmoothandpoeasuranlereading'WhatarethecharacteristicsofWhitman'spoems?Whitmanwasadaringesxperimentalistwhobrokethenewwood.Hisearlypoemswereincomventionalrimeandmeter.butapparentlyhefoundtherestrictoionsdisappointing.hebegantoexperimentabout1847whichledtoacompletebreakwithtraditionalpoetics.Oneofthemajorprinci;lesofwhitman'stechniqueisparallesismofrarhythmofthoughtinwhichthellineistherhythmicalunit.anothermainprincipleofwhitman'sversificationisphoneticrecurrence,i.e.,thesystematicrepetitionofwordsandphrasesatthebeginningoftheline,inthemiddleorattheend.thesetwoprinciplescoordinatewithandreinforceeachother.whitmanbrokefreefromthetraditionaliambicpentameterandwrotefreeverse.WhatarethecharacteristicsofO.Henry'swriting?O.Henry'sshortstoriesarewellknownfortheirwit,wordplay,warmcharacterizationandclevertwistendings.surpriseendingstwistendings,muchmoreplayfulandoptimistic,wittynarrationWhat'sthedifferencebetweenHenryJames'realismandMarkTwain'srealism?P93AlthoughJamesandTwainbothworkedforrealism,therewereobviousdifferencesbetweenthem.Inthematicterms,JameswrotemostlyoftheupperreachesofAmericansociety,whereasMarkTwaindealtlargelywiththelowerstrataofsociety.Technically,JamespursuedthePsychologicalrealism,butMarkTwain'scontributiontothedevelopmentofrealismandtoAmericanliteratureasawholewaspartlythroughhistheoriesofLocalColorisminAmericanfiction,andpartlythroughhiscolloquialstyle.What’sJackLondon’swritingstyleandthM51SummarizeAmericanpoeticrevolutionofthe20thcentury.MakeasummaryaboutBlackAmericanliterature.Makeacomparisonbetweenfreeverseandblankverse.FreeVerseispoetrythatisbasedontheirregularrhythmiccadencerecurring,withvariationsofphrases,images,andsyntacticalpatternsratherthantheconventionaluseofmeter.Inotherwords,freeversehasnorhythmschemeorpattern.However,muchpoeticlanguageanddevicesarefoundinfreeverse.Rhymemayormaynotbeusedinfreeverse,but,whenrhymeisused,itisusedwithgreatfreedom.Inotherwords,freeversehasnorhymeschemeorpattern.Freeversedoesnotmeanrhymecannotbeused,onlythatitmustbeusedwithoutanypattern.Blankverseconsistsofunrhymedlinesofiambicpentameter(tensyllableswiththesecond,fourth,sixth,eighth,andtenthsyllablesaccented).TheformhasgenerallybeenacceptedasthebestfordramaticverseinEnglishandiscommonlyusedforlongpoemswhetherdramatic,philosophical,ornarrative.Whileblankverseappearseasytowrite,goodblankversedemandsmoreartistryandgeniusthanmostanyotherverseform.Thefreedomgainedthroughthelackofrhymeisoffsetbythedemandsforrequiredvariety.MakeasummaryabouttheAmericaDrama.5.诗歌赏析Analyzethepoem“TheWildHoneySuckle”.Thispoemiswritedbyphilipfreneau.inhispoem,thelyridbeautytheheartfeltpathos,andthemultipleemotionalresponsesandechoesthatthesightdescribedcanawakeninthebosmmsofthereaders—allthesearesimplyamazing.thepoemisbodoubtagraphicillustrationoffreneau'spoeticgenius.FreneaumovinghiseyesfromtherelicsoftheOldWorldovertohisowncontinenttoenjoythebeautythattheamericanlandscapeiscapableofofferingtotheobservingandappreciativeeyes.itisakindofbeautythatpeopleinthosedayshadtolearntobacomeawareof.freneau'sobservationishistoricallysignificantbecause,tomanywritersofhisandlaterpereods,thenewnatinwaspoorinmaterislforpeoplewithsomeliteraryambitions.thepoemisandndicatoonofthepoet'sdedicationtoAmericansubjectmatterasheexaminedthepeculiarcharacteristicsoftheAmericancountryside.AnalyzeWhitman，s“SongofMyself”(Over200words)InthispoemWhitmanisexplaininghowallofhumanityislikeonelivingorganism,andnoonepartismoreimportantthantheother.Insection44of"SongofMyself"Whitmansays,"Wehavethusfarexhaustedtrillionsofwintersandsummers,Therearetrillionsahead,andtrillionsaheadofthem.Birthshavebroughtusrichnessandvariety,Andotherbirthswillbringusrichnessandvariety.Idonotcallonegreaterandonesmaller,Thatwhichfillsitsperiodandplaceisequaltoany."ItisclearthatWhitmanhadaperspectiveofthehumanraceanditshistorythatescapedmostwriters.Morespecifically,Whitmanspeaksofequalcontributiontothehumanexperienceinsection42:"Hereandtherewithdimesontheeyeswalking,Tofeedthegreedofthebellythebrainsliberallyspooning,Ticketsbuying,taking,selling,butintothefeastneveroncegoing,Manysweating,ploughing,thrashing,andthenthechaffforpaymentreceiving,Afewidlyowning,andtheythewheatcontinuallyclaiming.ThisisthecityandIamoneofthecitizens,Whateverintereststherestinterestsme,politics,wars,markets,newspapers,schools,Themayorandcouncils,banks,tariffs,steamships,factories,stocks,stores,realestateandpersonalestate.Emily’s“BecauseICouldNotStopforDeath”(Over300words)Thepoembeginswithaleisurelyimage.Atfirst,theprotagonistfeelstotallyateaseandtheusuallyfrighteningdeathisdescribedasifafamiliarfriend,gentleandpolite.Continuingly,thepoemisdevelopeduponabasicmetaphorthatlifeisajourney.Itwastrulyratheroldacomparison,butDickinsonenricheditwithhercreativityandimagination:"School,whereChildrenstrove"--childhood;"FieldsofGazingGrain"--maturity;and"SettingSun"--oldage.Then“theDewsdrewquiveringandchill-"makestheprotagonistfeelterriblycold,whichmaymeanthattheyaregettingnearerandnearertothetomb.Butatlast,hiscompanions,ImmortalityandDeath,finallydeserthimandleavehimalonetogotowardEternity.Soitseemsthatthoughdeathcheatshimandatthesametimedesertshim,theexperienceofdeathitselfisnotpainful.EmilyDickinson'spoemsjustexplainthiskindofessenceoflife,whichthenleadyoutoaworldofimaginationandthinking.Appreciatethepoem“InaStationoftheMetro”.ThepoemisessentiallyasetofimagesthathaveunexpectedlikenessandconveytherareemotionthatPoundwasexperiencingatthattime.Arguablytheheartofthepoemisnotthefirstline,northesecond,butthementalprocessthatlinksthetwotogether."Inapoemofthissort,"asPoundexplained,"oneistryingtorecordthepreciseinstantwhenathingoutwardandobjectivetransformsitself,ordartsintoathinginwardandsubjective."Thisdartingtakesplacebetweenthefirstandsecondlines.Thepivotalsemi-colonhasstirreddebateastowhetherthefirstlineisinfactsubordinatetothesecondorbothlinesareofequal,independentimportance.Poundcontraststhefactual,mundaneimagethatheactuallywitnessedwithametaphorfromnatureandthusinfUsesthis“apparition"withvisualbeauty.Thereisaquicktransitionfromthestatementofthefirstlinetothesecondline'svividmetaphor;this„super-pository'techniqueexemplifiestheJapanesehaikustyle.Theword“apparition"isconsideredcrucialasitevokesamysticalandsupernaturalsenseofimprecisionwhichisthenreinforcedbythemetaphorofthesecondline.Theplosiveword'Petals'conjuresideasofdelicate,femininebeautywhichcontrastswiththebleaknessofthe'wet,blackbough'.Whatthepoemsignifiesisquestionable;manycriticsarguethatitdeliberatelytranscendstraditionalformandthereforeitsmeaningissolelyfoundinitstechniqueasopposedtoinitscontent.HoweverwhenPoundhadtheinspirationtowritethispoemfewoftheseconsiderationscameintoview.Hesimplywishedtotranslatehisperceptionofbeautyinthemidstofuglinessintoasingle,perfectimageinwrittenform.Itisalsoworthnotingthatthenumberofwordsinthepoem(fourteen)isthesameasthenumberoflinesinasonnet.Thewordsaredistributedwitheightinthefirstlineandsixinthesecond,mirroringtheoctet-sestetformoftheItalian(orPetrarchan)sonnet.Appreciatethepoem“StoppingbyWbodsonaSnowEvening”.“StoppingbyWoodsonaSnowyEvening,"likemanyofFrost'spoems,exploresthethemeoftheindividualcaughtbetweennatureandcivilization.Thespeaker'slocationontheborderbetweencivilizationandwildernessechoesacommonthemethroughoutAmericanliterature.Thespeakerisdrawntothebeautyandallureofthewoods,whichrepresentnature,buthasobligations—“promisestokeep"—whichdrawhimawayfromnatureandbacktosocietyandtheworldofmen.Thespeakeristhusfacedwithachoiceofwhethertogiveintotheallureofnature,orremainintherealmofsociety.Somecriticshaveinterpretedthepoemasameditationondeath—thewoodsrepresenttheallureofdeath,perhapssuicide,whichthespeakerresistsinordertoreturntothemundanetaskswhichorderdailylife.Analyzethepoem“TheRoadNotTaken”.thepoemisinspirational,apaeantoindividualismandnon-conformism.Thepoemconsistsoffourstanzas.Inthefirststanza,thespeakerdescribeshisposition.Hehasbeenoutwalkinginthewoodsandcomestotworoads,andhestandslookingasfardowneachoneashecansee.Hewouldliketotryoutboth,butdoubtshecoulddothat,sothereforehecontinuestolookdowntheroadsforalongtimetryingtomakehisdecisionaboutwhichroadtotake.Theironicinterpretation,widelyheldbycritics,isthatthepoemisinsteadaboutregretandpersonalmyth-making,rationalizingourdecisions.Inthisinterpretation,thefinaltwolines:Itooktheonelesstraveledby,Andthathasmadeallthedifference.areironic:thechoicemadelittleornodifferenceatall,thespeaker'sprotestationstothecontrary.Thespeakeradmitsinthesecondandthirdstanzasthatbothpathsmaybeequallywornandequallyleaf-covered,anditisonlyinhisfuturerecollectionthathewillcalloneroad"lesstraveledby”.Thesigh,widelyinterpretedasasighofregret,mightalsobeinterpretedironically:ina1925lettertoCristineYatesofDickson,Tennessee,askingaboutthesigh,Frostreplied:"ItwasmyratherprivatejestattheexpenseofthosewhomightthinkIwouldyetlivetobesorryforthewayIhadtakeninlife."Analyzethepoem“AnecdoteoftheJar”.Thisfamous,much-anthologizedpoemsuccinctlyaccommodatesaremarkablenumberofdifferentandplausibleinterpretations,asJacquelineBroganobservesinadiscussionofhowsheteachesittoherstudents.ItcanbeapproachedfromaNewCriticalperspectiveasapoemaboutwritingpoetryandmakingartgenerally.Fromapoststructuralistperspectivethepoemisconcernedwithtemporalandlinguisticdisjunction,especiallyintheconvolutedsyntaxofthelasttwolines.Afeministperspectiverevealsapoemconcernedwithmaledominanceoveratraditionallyfeminizedlandscape.Aculturalcriticmightfindasenseofindustrialimperialism.Broganconcludes:"Whenthedebategetsparticularlyintense,IintroduceRoyHarveyPearce'sdiscoveryoftheDominioncanningjars(apictureofwhichisthenpassedaround)."AnalyzeT.S.Eliots“TheLoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock”.(Over500words)Onthesurface,"TheLoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock"relaysthethoughtsofasexuallyfrustratedmiddle-agedmanwhowantstosaysomethingbutisafraidtodoso,andultimatelydoesnot.Thedispute,however,liesintowhomPrufrockisspeaking,whetherheisactuallygoinganywhere,whathewantstosay,andtowhatthevariousimagesrefer.Theintendedaudienceisnotevident.SomebelievethatPrufrockistalkingtoanotherpersonordirectlytothereader,whileothersbelievePrufrock'smonologueisinternal.Perrinewrites"The'youandI'ofthefirstlinearedividedpartsofPrufrock'sownnature",whileMutluKonukBlasingsuggeststhatthe"youandI"referstotherelationshipbetweenthedilemmasofthecharacterandtheauthor.Similarly,criticsdisputewhetherPrufrockisgoingsomewhereduringthecourseofthepoem.Inthefirsthalfofthepoem,Prufrockusesvariousoutdoorimages(thesky,streets,cheaprestaurantsandhotels,fog),andtalksabouthowtherewillbetimeforvariousthingsbefore"thetakingoftoastandtea",and"timetoturnbackanddescendthestair."ThishasledmanytobelievethatPrufrockisonhiswaytoanafternoontea,inwhichheispreparingtoaskthis"overwhelmingquestion".Others,however,believethatPrufrockisnotphysicallygoinganywhere,butrather,isplayingthroughitinhismind.Perhapsthemostsignificantdisputeliesoverthe"overwhelmingquestion"thatPrufrockistryingtoask.ManybelievethatPrufrockistryingtotellawomanofhisromanticinterestinher,pointingtothevariousimagesofwomen'sarmsandclothingandthefinalfewlinesinwhichPrufrocklamentsthatthemermaidswillnotsingtohim.Others,however,believethatPrufrockistryingtoexpresssomedeeperphilosophicalinsightordisillusionmentwithsociety,butfearsrejection,pointingtostatementsthatexpressadisillusionmentwithsocietysuchas"Ihavemeasuredoutmylifewithcoffeespoons"(line51).ManybelievethatthepoemisacriticismofEdwardiansocietyandPrufrock'sdilemmarepresentstheinabilitytoliveameaningfulexistenceinthemodernworld.McCoyandHarlanwrote"Formanyreadersinthe1920s,Prufrockseemedtoepitomizethefrustrationandimpotenceofthemodernindividual.Heseemedtorepresentthwarteddesiresandmoderndisillusionment."Asthepoemusesthestreamofconsciousnesstechnique,itisoftendifficulttodeterminewhatismeanttobeinterpretedliterallyorsymbolically.Ingeneral,EliotusesimagerywhichisindicativeofPrufrock'scharacter,representingaginganddecay.Forexample,"Whentheeveningisspreadoutagainstthesky/Likeapatientetherizeduponatable"(lines2-3),the"sawdustrestaurants"and"cheaphotels,"theyellowfog,andtheafternoon"Asleep...tired...oritmalingers"(line77),arereminiscentoflanguoranddecay,whilePrufrock'svariousconcernsabouthishairandteeth,aswellasthemermaids"Combingthewhitehairofthewavesblownback/Whenth