论霍尔顿的孤独性 论文定稿.doc

AbstractThe Catcher in the Rye, written by the famous contemporary novelist J. D. Salinger, is widely accepted as a “modern classic” of American literature. Since its publication in the 1950s, the novel has attracted millions of readers and scholars around the world. The young protagonist, Holden, is typical of teenagers of the 1950s, being lonesome, depressed and disappointed at the real world. The present thesis will analyze Holdens loneliness from the aspects of his family life, school life and social life. And after that, it will explore the reasons for the formation of Holdens loneliness. Key words: Holden loneliness life the 1950s摘 要 美国当代著名作家杰戴塞林格的小说麦田里的守望者是美国文学界公认的“现代经典”作品。自二十世纪五十年代出版以来,该小说吸引了无数读者及学者。书中的主人公霍尔顿是当时五十年代美国青少年的典型代表，性格孤独、消沉，并且对现实世界感到无比绝望。本文主要从主人公的家庭生活、学校生活以及社会生活三方面研究霍尔顿的孤独性，并进而深入探究其孤独性形成的原因。 关键词：霍尔顿 孤独性 生活 20世纪50年代ContentsIntroduction1Chapter One Loneliness Reflected from Holdens Family Life4Chapter Two Loneliness Reflected from Holdens School Life7Chapter Three Loneliness Reflected from Holdens Social Life 10Chapter Four Reasons for Holdens Loneliness13Conclusion16Works Cited17iiiOn Holdens Loneliness in The Catcher in the RyeIntroductionJ. D. Salinger is considered as a predominant novelist in the 20th century, who possesses a very important position in American literature. His writing has influenced several prominent writers, such as Harold Brodkey and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Updike and so on. Besides, over the past half-century, as commented by Whitfield, “no American writer . has entranced serious young readers more than Salinger” (567). In 1951, Salinger released his novel The Catcher in the Rye, which received immediate success. Since its publication, the novel has gone through over seventy printings and has spread into thirty languages. Regarded as a “modern classic”, it not only wins in sales numbers in American literature, but also has been welcomed by critics. The novel mainly revolves around a three-day journey of the young protagonist named Holden in New York after he is thrown out of his school. During his trip to New York, bearing loneliness, disappointment and depression, Holden has seen the reality and phoniness of the earthly world. Since the release of the novel, it has attracted the attention of researches from both home and abroad. There exists a variety of the research methods and points about the book. American critic Harvey Breit, when the novel got published, made a comparison between Salingers Holden Caulfield and Mark Twains Huck FinnHe explores the difference between these two characters from a sociological perspective (qtd. in Yan 23)German critic Hence Phonurt analyses Holdens loneliness in terms of psychoanaly. He states that there are two worlds in Holdens mind: one is the ugly world made up of Ackley, Stradlater and the prostitute Sunny; the other is the pure and beautiful world made up of Allie, Phoebe and nun (qtd. in Yan 23). S. N. Behrman also takes a sharp look at Holdens personality and thinks Holden to be a true moral idealistIn his point of view, Jane, together with Allie and Phoebe, constitutes Holdens emotional frame of reference and represents the everlasting symbol of goodness for him (qtd. in Matuz 325-344)Another widespread criticism of The Catcher in the Rye is related with the need of social interaction and human communication in modem societyCharles HKegel comments that the novel can be read as Holdens quest for communicability with his fellow men (qtd. in Matuz 188-190). Besides the study of the theme and protagonist, there are some other attempts to analyze the novel from the point of its language useJames Lundquist says Salingers use of language “ is one of the most distinctive qualities in The Catcher in the Rye, and an analysis of that language is essential to an appreciation of just what Salinger accomplishes artistically in the novel” (123)Like other great works, The Catcher in the Rye is also studied by means of comparison between the novel and some other literary masterpiecesBesides Harvey Breits and Charles Kaplans comparing Holden with Huck, Salingers “hero has also been compared to many other literary figures. For example, Clinton. W. Trowbridge sees a great importance in recognizing the basic similarity between the characters of Hamlet and Holden” (29). In China, lots of scholars also have done some researches on the book. Chinese critic Luo Shiping analyses the book from the perspective of Holdens psychosis, believing that “Holden tries his best to remove the wall between him and his society” (27). Also, Hu Yamin does research about Holdens growth in the theory of anthropology and mythology, which is also a new point of research about the book.However, there are few people focusing on the protagonists loneliness completely. Therefore, in the paper, I will approach the novel from the perspective of Holdens loneliness in four chapters. The first three chapters will deal with Holdens loneliness from three different perspectives. In chapter one, it shows Holdens loneliness through his indifferent relationships with his family members. In chapter two, the paper goes to discuss his lonesome state from his non-engagement in school life. Chapter three shows Holdens solitude from the earthly society. In the last chapter, it will discuss the general reasons that make Holden lonesome in the world. In the end, the paper concludes that through the lonely image of Holden, the author, on one hand, presents the mental and spiritual state of American teenagers of the 1950slonely, depressed and lost in the society after World War Two, and on the other hand, criticizes the contemporary American society that is suffering spiritual emptiness and lacking moral standard. Through the whole analysis, the paper can help readers understand Holdens psychological state more clearly. Meanwhile, it can also let readers have a better understanding of the authors intention of creating the image of Holden. Chapter OneLoneliness Reflected from Holdens Family LifeHoldens relationship with his family members is an obvious manifestation of his loneliness. His parents pay little attention and love to him and they hardly have interaction with him. Also, lack of understanding from his brother and sister shows his solitude too.For one thing, Holdens loneliness is manifestated by the big gap with his parents as he cannot get love and warmth from his family. Holden was born in a rich American family. Money is never his problem if he wants, but what he needs is love and true care from his family members especially parents. There is a contrast between Holdens love to his family and his family to his. Holden knows most habits of his parents in daily life. Also, he doesnt inform his family of the failure in school because he is worried about his mother, “She hasnt felt too healthy since my brother Allie died. Shes very nervous. Thats another reason why I hated like hell for her to know I got the ax again” (Salinger 107). On the contrary, his parents act in an opposite way. We know that Holdens father is a lawyer making big money and investing a lot in other businesses. However, he pays too much attention to business and ignores his children and their growth. There is little communication and interaction between the father and son, though Holden desires that a lot. In the whole book, the information about his father is the least, which also tells us the bad relationship between them. When it comes to his mother, we can see his mother herself is weak, nervous and hysterical. She knows to buy gifts for Holden, but the gift is just not what he needs. And she wants to satisfy Holden, but she doesnt know how to do it. Obviously, what she does couldnt appeal to Holden as she gets the wrong way that Holden doesnt like. Holden wishes his mother to know what he really needs and desires, not just some substantial presents. Mothers spiritual love is what he hopes. Yet his mother isnt too healthy to care and manage herself, let alone to explore his heart. As we can see from the book, his mother “gets very hysterical”, and “not too bad after she gets something thoroughly digested, though” (51). This sort of family situation just oppresses Holden. Gradually, the gap grows wider and Holdens loneliness increases at a fast speed. Son and parents are becoming strangers.For another, Holdens lonesome state is also suggested by the lack of communication and understanding from his brother and sister. Holden has two brothers and a sister. He cannot get understandings from them, either. In Holdens mind, he has a long distance with his elder brother D.B., who is a writer in Hollywood and is seen as a prostitute in Holdens eyes. As D.B. becomes an adult, he also steps into the phony adulthood and is just like other disgusting guys. No matter in what aspects, Holden doesnt feel any good about his brother as he isnt innocent and true any more. They have nothing in common. However on the other hand, Holden misses his little brother Allie very much, who has been dead for a long time. Though dead, he is, as Holden thinks, the only person that can always keep innocent and be himself. So the loss of Allie adds his loneliness even more. In addition, Holden loves his sister very much. In Holdens eyes, she is a very pretty, pure and considerate girl, but too young to understand what really troubles him and what he is seeking after. So they have communication barriers.In short, Holden is isolated in his family, missing the dead while lacking supports and true love from the alive. On that condition, Holden has lost all relatives he can rely on or trust completely. He just feels more and more lonesome at home.Chapter TwoLoneliness Reflected from His School Life Holdens loneliness is also showed by his non-engagement in school life. Holden has been thrown out by four school for different reasons, as he despises the education system, teachers and students in his school. All those schools are not ideal in his heart. Consequently, he has to choose to leave forever instead of just staying and obeying the dogmas.Primarily, Holden cannot tolerant the education system. The aim of education is to make people innovative and understand the world better so as to make contributions. While in all schools he attends, what he hears is all about wine entertainment, sex and fortune. “all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques” (Salinger 131). He despises them a lot, but he could not find a way to avoid those talks, just like he cannot rob all the “fuck you” on walls to protect his sister and other pure children. This kind of education just confuses Holden and gets him disgusted.Besides, in Holdens eyes, all teachers and working staff in school are phony and this adds his loneliness even more. To Holden, school is a place full of phony guys no matter they are teachers or students. He finds Pencey Prep School is the only home for phoniness. As Holden describes, he despises a lot people because of their dishonesty and snobbishness including the head master, sponsor and his history teacher and so on. These teachers cannot even behave themselves and set a good example for their students. Holden loathes them and never likes to get closer to them. Meanwhile, those so-called teachers do not understand Holden, either, which we can see from Mr Spencers impolite and over-confident behaviour. For instance, Mr Spencer reads out Holdens note loud and directly, which makes Holden rather embarrassed. All those matters and people only force Holden to be more and more lonesome.Then, Holdens feeling of loneliness also grows when it comes to the relationship with his classmates and roommates. He shares a very different personal value from the average students and conflicts often occur between them. Holden feels lonely mostly because his peers do not understand him and they lack innocence as well as purity. Stradlater and Ackley are two typical examples. First, Stradlater is indeed “a secret slob”. As we can see from Holdens description, “he always looked all right, but for instance, youve seen the razor he shaved himself with. It is rusty as hell and full of lather and hairs and crap” (Salinger 27). Also, Stradlaters phoniness are suggested when Stradlater begs Holden to write a composition for him. As we can see, Stradlater shows great generosity and good attitude at the moment he asks Holden for help. However, when what Holden writes doesnt satisfy him, Stradlater shouts out at Holden directly and fiercely, “you always do everything backasswards. No wonder you are flunking the hell out of here. You dont do one damn thing the way you are supposed” (41). The caprice reflects Stradlaters phoniness more deeply. As for Ackley, Holdens another classmate, he is totally a selfish person, doing everything casually, regardless of others convenience. Holden calls him as a “nasty guy” and “wasnt too crazy about him” (19). For instance, from the moment he steps into Holdens dorm, he begins to interrupt Holdens reading and asks for scissors to cut off his hangnail while he doesnt care if Holden has packed it or not. However, after Holden fights with Stradlater and asks a stay in Ackley dorm, Ackley refuses indirectly. Ackley and Stradlater represent most students in schools, whom Holden hates and despises so much. In such a phony school, he feels more and more depressed, lonesome and disappointed. As a result, Holden chooses to leave Pencey that night. When leaving, he yells at the top of his voice, “sleep tight, ya morons!”(55) which is a full vent to his sorrow, despair and loneliness.To sum up, in all the schools Holden attends, the education is functioning badly, all teachers are phony and trying to benefit to themselves, and all students are influenced by the ugly adulthood and becoming impure guys. He feels he just does not belong to these schools. As a result, his loneliness grows stronger and stronger. Chapter ThreeLoneliness Reflected from His Social LifeThe previous two chapters have analyzed Holdens loneliness from his situation in family and school. The third chapter will do so by examming his actions in society. Generally, Holdens loneliness in society is manifested by two parts. First, Holden is lonely as he is surrounded by all absurd, malicious and phony adults. Second, Holden can never find a satisfying friend who can get rid of his solitude to talk.In the first place, Holdens non-involvement in the social circle shows his great solitude. In the society, he is crowded by by all sorts of absurd, malicious and phony adults. As we know, a lonely person feels even more lonesome when he is in a crowed. For example, in hotels and bars, he see all types of perverts, snobbish stuff and customers. People are there to be drunk, to have entertainment and to lose themselves. As we see, there are perverts who dress like a woman and walks when there is no one beside him, and a couple who take a swallow and squirt it all over at each other. Those phony and absurd behaviours are totally beyond his realization and imagination. Another accident occurs when an elevator introduces him a prostitute. The event finally becomes that Holden pays more than what was said before and he is badly hurt by the elevator. He is cheated and sees further about the sinister adults and malicious adulthood.What happens between Antonili and Holden makes him lose his whole trust in the society and adds Holdens loneliness more. Previously in Holdens heart, Antolini was a very knowledgeable teacher, seeing the reality with a special perspective and very unique from others adults.He was about the best teacher I ever had, Mr.Antolini. He was a pretty young guy, not much older than my brother D.B., and you can kid around him without losing your respect for him. He was the one that finally picked up that boy that jumped out the window I told you about, James Castle. Old Mr.Antolini felt his pulse and all, and then he took off his coat and put it over James Castle and carried him all the way over to the infirmary. He didnt even give a damn if his coat got all bloody (Salinger 170).We know that Holden seldom speaks highly of an adult, but from the above description, we see he respects, admires and believes in him. However the fact seems a contrast with his idea. Though Holden is tired to death, and desires to have a sound sleep, Mr Antolini keeps giving him lessons and teaches him how to adapt to the world and obey the game rules. Here their gap appears gradually. Whats worse, it occurs to Holden that Mr Antolini is homosexual, like the perverts he sees in hotels. At that moment when Holden finds Mr Antolini petting or patting him on his head, he feels not only disgusting and and feels like running away, but also betrayed and disappointed as Mr Antolini is not the one in his ideal imagination at all. That Mr Antolini is homosexual is totally out of his imagination and the person he could believe and communicate with disappears again. Mr Antonili destroys him completely. Badly hurt in heart, he falls into the lonely world again. Second, Holden can hardly find a friend that is willing to talk with him to ease his loneliness. It is quite a pity for Holden that no one wants to chat with him heartedly. When Holden asks the taxi drivers out of curiosity about where the ducks in rivers go in winter. The drivers just regard him as crazy and arent willing to think about the question seriously so as to answer him. Later , as we read, even the prostitute or the three ugly girls are not willing to listen to Holdens heart. Meanwhile,