Upon first encounter, modernist authors Virginia Woolf’s 1919 short story Kew Gardens and T.S Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock would seem to be vastly different save for their close publication dates. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a dramatic monologue – a melancholy affair, dealing with the social grievances of its titular character. On the other hand, Kew Gardens is a text easy to get lost in despite its short length. Though it can be easily interpreted as a testament to the beauty of nature and diversity among humans, there are other implications under the surface of Woolf’s writing. The two texts share an integral theme that forms their common ground: isolation and its function in society both at large and in the individual’s mind. What buoys these concepts and generally enriches each work …show more content…
‘To’ loads each line with potential, however the anaphoric repetition of it effectively dulls the impact; making it appear that though Prufrock might have done many things differently, ultimately it would not matter. Woolf makes use of anaphora in dialogue between Eleanor and Simon. The two are discussing memories from the gardens when this exchange takes place: ‘”For me, a square silver shoe buckle and a dragonfly –“’ followed by ‘”For me, a kiss….”’ (“Kew Gardens”, pg. 91). Though the two memories are entirely different, hearing the repeated use of ‘for me’ automatically connects the ideas on an equal plane. Woolf thus portrays humans’ tendency to strive for links with other people, though often, bar for time and place, these experiences mean entirely different things for the people involved. Furthermore, sound techniques such as alliteration and assonance form an aural aesthetic, which helps dictate pathos appeal. Eliot proves this where he describes the