The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot

That is not it at all / That is not what I meant , at all (97-98 , 109-110 . This fear and frustration is expressed in line 104 "It is impossible to say just what I mean

J . Alfred Prufrock justifies not taking action by insisting there is plenty of time to act , so there 's no need to do so right now . The entire fourth stanza is dedicated to this excuse for inaction

There will be time to murder and create

And time for all the works and days of hands (28-29

And time

yet for a hundred indecisions

And for a hundred visions and revisions

Before the taking of a toast and tea (32-34

Not only is there all the time in the world to act , there is plenty of time for more indecisiveness and brooding , too

J . Alfred Prufrock 's attitude towards time reflects his vanity , as if the constraints of mortality don 't apply to him . He also appears vain when he notes that he "knows them all " with regards to time , voices eyes and arms . Prufrock has "seen the moment of my greatness flicker but he is too vain to see how small and weak he appears by failing to act (84 . Prufrock notes "I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat and snicker / And in short , I was afraid " but he still isn 't moved to take action (85 . If the "eternal Footman " is a metaphor for death , this indicates the same sort of vanity exhibited by thumbing his nose at the passage of time

J . Alfred Prufrock is the sort of man who can never muster up "the strength to force the moment to its crisis (80 . His negative view of the world , doubts about misunderstanding , fear of rejection , vanity and weakness are expressed by...