Eliot demonstrates “that Prufrock prepares. . . [a face] . . . of false confidence” (McCormick, 44-5) when in the company of others, which ultimately leads to failure to achieve his goals. A traditional male would not be affected by the presence of others and would remain the true man he is. The author portrays this insecurity through the use of the previously mentioned literary devices. As a result, Prufrock never asks the “overwhelming question” (Eliot, 16) and ultimately “drown[s]” (137) in his unsatisfying life. In conclusion, Eliot's portrayal of Prufrock is a criticism of contemporaneity