sawdust and oyster-shells The streets move like a tedious argument giving no solution This urban setting reflects isolation It mirrors the modern man s lonely mind Prufrock feels separate from society He walks through streets that seem barren His loneliness becomes part of his conflict Fog and Weakness Another image of conflict is the yellow fog Eliot shows the fog brushing its back against the window glass The smoke moves weakly like a tired cat Instead of giving energy it spreads dullness and waste The air feels heavy dirty and lifeless This lifeless fog covers the city and reflects Prufrock s own tired spirit The picture of the fog becomes a symbol of futility and decay The following lines support this point perfectly The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes Time and Indecision The modern conflict is also seen in wasted time Prufrock repeats There will be time there will be time He believes there is always more time to act Yet he never acts He only feels a hundred indecisions And for a hundred visions and revisions He keeps asking Do I dare but he never dares His life passes in delay and doubt This waste of time displays his inner conflict Fear of Judgment Prufrock is deeply afraid of people s judgment He worries about his bald spot and thin arms and legs He says people will notice and mock him He feels like an insect pinned and wriggling on the wall This image shows his insecurity He is afraid to speak his true thoughts His fear of criticism keeps him silent He hides his feelings and fails to connect The modern man s conflict is shown here Dreams and Despair Prufrock s conflict is also clear in his dreams He imagines mermaids singing each to each But he says I do not think that they will sing to me Even in dreams he finds rejection He admits I am no prophet and fears death He sees the eternal Footman hold my coat and snicker This Footman is death mocking him His dreams of beauty end in despair The modern man s hopes collapse into hopelessness His conflict is between the desire for life and the fear of failure In conclusion Eliot shows the conflict of a modern man through Prufrock s mind and feelings The lonely streets the lifeless fog the wasted time the fear of judgment and the despair in dreams all reveal his struggle Prufrock wants love and meaning but he cannot act This inner battle reflects the conflict of modern life