Eliot uses the words, "And how should I begin?" and "How should I presume?" repetitiously. This shows the narrator is unconfident with himself mentally and physically. Lines 41 and 44,

"(They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!")", and "(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!")" indicates he is terrified of what will happen if people see his balding head or his slim and aging body. He feels that people will think he is old and useless and that they will talk about him behind his back. Another suggestion of aging and how it anguishes the emotions is the stereotype old men have of faltering when trying to communicate ideas with people. The repetition of words the narrator uses like "vision and revision", illustrates his feelings of inadequacy in communicating with the people around him.

Moreover, his insecurity and low self-esteem obscures his love life greatly. It hinders him from doing the things he wishes to do. The woman he is in love with is younger than he is and this is emotionally painful for him. He does not believe that some younger women could possibly accept him or find him attractive. To express any kind of affection or attraction toward her is awkward and difficult for him. Lines 79-80, "Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?" reflects how he suppresses an urge to express affection. The narrator has tenderness in his regard for her, but cannot bring it upon himself to physically say it. His apprehen

Some common words found in the essay are:
Alfred Prufrock, Bible Jesus, Eliot Michelangelo, Overall Eliot, , express affection, narrator narrator, poem narrator,
Approximate Word count = 890
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)