Question

5. How is J. Alfred Prufrock like "a pair of ragged claws/Scuttling across the floors of silent seas"? Why would he want to be like a crab?

Answer 1

In the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S Eliot, J Alfred Prufrock compares himself to "a pair of ragged claws/scuttling across the floors of silent seas". He compares himself to a crab because of his inability to go forward and take action. A crab never moves forward, it always moves sideways. Likewise, J Alfred Prufrock struggles to move forward in life and always ends up in the same place because of his negative thoughts and lack of confidence. As a result, his self-esteem is also low. Another interpretation of this crab symbolism is that if he was a crab, he would not have to talk to women. He would be able to live a simple life and would not have to reveal his insecurities and vulnerabilities to people. He is extremely self-conscious and avoids reality by telling himself that he has all the time in the world and thus, delays the action of proposing to the girl he went to meet. The crab symbolism can be thought of as a defense mechanism; a way to protect himself from the snickers of the world.