“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “Ride” as Examples of Ennui in Media

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “Ride” as Examples of Ennui in Media

TS Eliot's “The Lovesong of Alfred J. Prufrock” and 21 Pilots’ “Ride” are both examples of youthful angst, or ennui, in which the reader or listener can extract the themes of bleakness and anxiety. Eliot's poem consists of a man who wants to go to a party and wants to be social, but ultimately is held back by his anxiety. Twenty One Pilots’ “Ride” is a 21st century example of ennui, the song also displaying the writer’s insecurities and doubts about himself and society.

“The Lovesong of Alfred J. Prufrock” begins with the narrator, Alfred J. Prufrock acting quite forward, inviting this unnamed person on an adventure. He starts off with the line “Let us go then, you and I”, inviting the stranger to “cheap hotels/ And sawdust restaurants with oyster shells”. As the poem continues, this confident persona deteriorates and suddenly the bold man that has invited someone to “one night” hotels becomes an overthinker. The narrator begins to speak of time, “time yet for a hundred indecisions,/And for a hundred visions and revisions,/Before the taking of a toast and tea.” He comments on the act of social interaction and how much he will question every little decision or sentence he says. He is anxious at the idea of this party, while the question  repeats over and over in his mind., “Do I dare?” Does he dare act and risk ridicule or questioning from others? The psychological journey of Prufrock goes from wanting to be someone he is not to overthinking the things he might do wrong. This is similar to 21 Pilots’ song “Ride” in that the narrator of the song begins by stating who they want to be and later evolving into an existential dread when he realizes that he cannot be that person. “Ride” begins with its first line, “I just wanna stay in the sun… pieces of peace in the sun’s peace of mind”. These lyrics emphasize the narrator’s desire for light, where he can find “peace”. He even mentions that “it’s fun to fantasize” being in “the sun” because life is “hard sometimes”. Both pieces of work share the common theme of a young person’s knowledge of how awful the world can be, yet the desire to be liberated of the seemingly inevitable hardships of life.

Another display of ennui in both these works is the final acceptance of the narrator’s depression or loneliness. Prufrock devolves from the present tense to past tense; he goes from hopeful to regretful. It is probable that he did not go to the party or ask out the person he wanted to. He repeats the line, “And would it have been worth it, after all”. In this line, Prufrock speculates whether it would have been worth it to be himself and simply speak to people or attend the party even if everyone misunderstood him. He says, “No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be”. He realizes the ridiculousness of his worrying; he is not a great, important person. People do not care as much about him as he is making out in his head. Nevertheless, he did not go; he did not take a chance. He did not find love. In the final moments of the poem, Prufrock grows old. He claims “I grow old ... I grow old …” and does all the things an old man does like parting his hair to over bald spots and wearing his white pants rolled up. Prufrock accepts his loneliness in his old age. The angsty character accepts the fact that the world sucks and that there is nothing that they can do about it, which is exactly what Prufrock does.

Acceptance of the narrator’s depression can be seen in “Ride” in the chorus of the song. The lyrics read “I'm falling so I'm taking my time on my ride”. The narrator accepts that he is “falling” so he decides to just take his time. He even acknowledges that “There are people back home which are talking to you/But then you ignore them still”. He knows that he has a responsibility to his audience and the people in his life yet he chooses to ignore them because it is easier to “fall”. Just like Prufrock, he chose the easy option and simply accepts his dismal fate.

Ennui certainly is quite depressing, but it is worth it to note that there is a call for more out of life at the end of these works. Prufrock leaves the audience with a mysterious dream of mermaids; perhaps he still dreams of love in his old age after accepting his dismal fate. “Ride” also repeats the line “help me”, a call for a savior in dark times. This is indicative that teenage angst leaves the reader with a conflicting sense; the morose narrator wants to be saved.