In lines 2-3, the narrator describes the evening “spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table.” What effect does this image have on the poem’s meaning?

Question

The unnatural image shows that, even though the poem is a “love song,” Prufrock has little capacity to love.
The quote shows that Prufrock needs to be healed spiritually, like a patient needs to be healed physically.
The image represents the unconscious mind, invoking the journey Prufrock takes to discover his deepest secrets.
The quote evokes a sense of numbness or paralysis, mimicking Prufrock’s weariness and powerlessness in the face of making decisions.