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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty/ The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Character Comparisons
Fill in the chart with characteristics inferred from the text of the short story. Be
sure to include quotations from the story that support your characteristics.
Walter Mitty
Characteristics
Physical
Physical
Social
Social
Psychological
Psychological
Tone
Tone
Walter Mitty Quotations
Explain what the quote
means or shows
J. Alfred Prufrock
Characteristics
Physical
J. Alfred Prufrock Quotations
Explain what the quote
means or shows
Physical
Social
Social
Psychological
Psychological
Tone
Tone
Writers often exaggerate characters to drive a point home. Most of us will never be
as dysfunctional as Walter or Alfred, but we may recognize bits of their dilemmas in
our own experiences. Both men are clearly suffering from some sort of mental or
social dysfunction. Write an essay comparing the similarities between Walter Mitty
and J. Alfred Prufrock, focusing on their physical characteristics, their social skills,
their psychological states and the tone of their respective works. Draw a conclusion
on the probability of their success in their respective world. Can they be productive,
happy members of society or will they become psychopaths, or worse?