Lost Generation Character Comparison

Lost Generation Character Comparison

The Lost Generation is the work of a group of writers, musicians, and poets in Paris during the 1920s. Their works are characterized by similar themes, such as disillusionment of societies in the Post World War I, loss of tradition and identity, and uncertainty of the future. The writings reveal how the beginning of 1900 was a tumultuous time for America and how the turn of the century was influenced by an increase in social, cultural shifts, industrialization and rapid economic change, something that is not known to the new millennium. According to various writers, this generation was lost because its inherited values were no longer relevant in the post-Word War. Multiple characters in Lost Generation share various similarities and differences. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Hawkshaw, the barber of Dry September, are two different writings that reveal two characters who are acting differently to showcase social values that are opposing.

Prufrock is the lyrical speaker in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. According to the author, he is an eponymous narrator who is in a stream of consciousness as he suffers from the alienation of the urban life of the 20th century. The poem is his monologue, whose recipient hasn’t been established though critics have it that he is either addressing himself or a woman. He is also described as a middle-aged and self-loathing man. On the other hand, Henry Hawkshaw is the main character in Dry September and works in a barbershop. Just like Prufrock, Hawkshaw is a middle-aged man, but in the story, the author describes him as “a thin, sand-colored man with a mild face” (11.8). Both characters are, therefore, youthful and energetic.

Prufrock is a disillusioned character who is dissociated with the society in which he lives. He is not directly associated with whatever is happening in society and lives a life of solitude, which he has created for himself. However, Prufrock thinks that all other men in the society are lonely like him, as he says, “Lonely men [….] leaning out of windows” (I.72). It, therefore, means that Prufrock does not associate himself with the affairs of his society. As opposed to Prufrock, Hawkshaw is not disillusioned; neither does he dissociate himself from the issues of society. This is exemplified by how he spends time with people in the barbershop, entering into arguments with them about matters affecting the society directly. Some people even refer to him as “Hawk” (I.95). This shows that despite being age mates, Prufrock and Hawkshaw have entirely different personalities.

The fact that Prufrock is addressing some imaginary audience reveals his distractions. Even though the central message of the poem is understood, Prufrock has something disturbing his mind. Maybe, his mind has been induced with a drug that has altered his realities. He even recommends visiting a hotel and restaurants at night in an unknown place. He says, “one-night cheap hotels” (l. 6) and “sawdust restaurants” (l. 7). Such locations are not the normal ones for the speaker and are part of the environments he is fantasying.

On the contrary, Hawkshaw is not disillusioned. He is genuinely a reasonable man who always has a point in whatever he is trying to say. He stops John McLendon from punishing Will Mayers and asks him to “Find the trust first” (339). The fact that he can create peace means that he is a person of sound mind.

Hawkshaw is not dumb like Prufrock because he can act on different occasions. We see him arguing with the other men in the barbershop, and he is ready to stand for the truth, not fearing anyone. He regards the stories circulating in the town as rumors and believes that Will Mayers is innocent and asks those arguing with him “to discover the truth first” (339). In the event, they capture him and take him to a desert, away from them, but this doesn’t rub off his massage. On the other hand, Prufrock does not even have the drive to communicate with the other people. There are many instances in the poem where he has repeatedly used the words vision and revision, for example, “And for a hundred visions and revisions” (I.33). This indicates his feeling of insecurity especially if he associates himself with other people. He doesn’t seem to trust anyone, and this makes him lack confidence.

In conclusion, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Dry September have presented two characters operating differently and showcasing opposing social issues. Their character mismatch enables us to understand the role which each is playing in their society. Hawkshaw can act, and he can find love from the people he is living with, best exemplified by his relationship with women. However, his efforts in defending for right and justice make him get handcuffed by the mob and taken to a desert, where he feels lonely, just like Prufrock. Similarily, Prufrock is not easy to act like Hawkshaw, and this hinders him from finding love. The Lost Generation is indeed a mirror of what happens in contemporary society.