Final answer:
In 'Preludes,' T.S. Eliot conveys a strong sense of futility and ennui through imagery that depicts the tedious and disenchanted aspects of urban life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The futility (ennui) evident in T.S. Eliot's 'Preludes' is displayed through imagery that evokes a sense of weariness and disillusionment with the modern world. The poem paints a picture of the mundane and bleak aspects of urban life, emphasizing the loss of meaning and the mechanical existence of individuals. For example, the line 'The morning comes to consciousness / Of faint stale smells of beer' from the first prelude captures the weary aftermath of a night of escape that has left nothing but a hangover and a return to the drabness of day-to-day life. The second prelude's 'The burnt-out ends of smoky days' pungently evokes the end of yet another day that is unremarkable and tiresome, further contributing to the poem's overtones of ennui.