For Monday, February 24

Task #1:  Take out or print out a copy of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
Task #2:  Read through the poem once.  Slowly.
Task #3:  Look up a You Tube video of Eliot reading his famous poem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAO3QTU4PzY

Task #4:  Next:  Read this excerpt from your textbook:

"'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock' is like a collage, a work of visual art created by materials and objects glued to a flat surface.  In poetry this technique is called fragmentation, a favorite technique of the modernists.  The fragments come together--or don't--in a way that mirrors the fragmented, chaotic modern world.  In the fourth stanza, for example, what is the effect of fragments such as "yellow smoke," "murder and create," "visions and revisions," and "toast and tea" appearing together?  Do they form a new picture, or are their effects fragmentary?  How do the fragments communicate Eliot's vision of a modern man in a modern city?"

Task #5:  This weekend, I want you to create a collage (pencil drawing, magazine pictures, words, internet pictures, a combination of all) using some of the images from "Prufrock."  Use images that connect with you in some way.  (I would say to use a minimum of 5 images although you can use 100.  The more images you use, the more intimate you will be with the poem.)

Task #6:  On the back of your collage or on a separate sheet of paper, explain your choices.  How do you connect with the images?  Make it personal.  You could also include ideas about theme and characterization.  

You will present your collages on Monday.  I cannot wait to see what you come up with.  We will tackle the analysis together, but this is a great way to start!