The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock: Love or Love Not In “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock,” by T.S. Elliot, the speaker is Prufrock himself. The setting is somewhere around the twenties and Prufrock is on his way to enjoy some tea in the afternoon with his girlfriend. He is at the time of his life when he is to decide weather or not he shall propose love. Prufrock considers himself as being unable to carry a successful marriage. In line one, Prufrock is both “you” and “I”, which symbolizes he internal conflict with himself. He shows a sense of being paralyzed in not knowing what to do by saying, “When I am pinned and wriggling against the wall, then how