86 “The Children in the Apple-Tree”: The Meaning of Fruits in T.S. Eliot’s Poetry Monica MANOLACHI ∗ Abstract Since J. Alfred Prufrock asked the question “Do I dare to eat the peach?”, T.S. Eliot’s poems, essays and plays have provided food for thought for generations over the past century. Literary critics, historians and scholars of cultural modernity have occasionally noted the poet’s interest in depicting and commenting on how modern individuals perceive sources of nourishment, their transformative power and the consequences of their absence. This paper draws on previous studies of his work to explore and highlight the representation of fruits, fruition and fruitlessness in several of his poems. It also reconsiders earlier interpretations, shedding light on missing aspects and bringing attention to new insights into poems from his earliest to his last collections. The analysis employs several interpretive techniques, including symbolic analysis to uncover how fruit imagery in Eliot’s work reflects themes of existential questioning, spiritual emptiness and societal critique. It situates this symbolism within the broader modernist exploration of alienation and renewal. Additionally, the study assesses Eliot’s literary influences, such as European satire and French symbolism, and their impact on his thematic concerns. An ecocritical perspective is also used to examine how Eliot’s portrayal of food and nature engages with early 20th-century ecological and cultural issues, reconsidering materialism and spirituality. Keywords: modernist poetry, T. S. Eliot, food studies, ecocriticism, close reading Introduction In his 1913 essay “Inconsistencies in Bergson’s Idealism,” T.S. Eliot (2014) reflects on the nature of time, writing that “nothing essentially new can ever happen; the absolute, as Bradley says, bears buds and flowers and fruit at once” (81). This metaphor, which challenges the linear progression of time, offers a vision where beginnings, processes, and outcomes are inextricably linked, reflecting a holistic understanding of life and reality. This interconnectedness, often found in Eliot’s work, invites a closer examination of recurring motifs, such as fruit, which subtly yet significantly contribute to the thematic depth of his poetry. Despite the growing body of research on T. S. Eliot’s use of food imagery, there remains a noticeable gap in the literature specifically addressing the symbolic role of fruit in his poetry. While scholars like Etienne Terblanche ∗ University of Bucharest, monica.manolachi@lls.unibuc.ro https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14287901