Symbolic Meaning of Image of the Child in The Catcher in the Rye.doc

本科生毕业论文（设计）题目Symbolic Meaning of Image of the Child in The Catcher in the Rye姓名 学号 院系 外国语学院 专业 英语 指导教师 职称 副教授 曲阜师范大学杏坛学院教务处制-Symbolic Meaning of Image of the Child in The Catcher in the Rye A ThesisSubmitted toCollege of Foreign LanguagesXingtan CollegeQufu Normal UniversityIn Partial Fulfillment of the RequirementsFor the Degree of Bachelor of Arts ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThere are a lot of people to whom I am indebted. Firstly, I express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Peng Fang, a respectable, responsible and resourceful scholar who provided me with detailed comments and suggests on every aspect of this thesis. Without her help, patience, dedications and care in guiding me, the completion of this thesis is impossible. Her keen and vigorous academic observation enlightens me not only in this thesis but also in my future study.Next, my thanks to other teachers who have helped me to develop the fundamental and essential academic competence. My sincere appreciation also goes to the writers whose works are referred to in this thesis.Last but not least, Id like to thanks all my friends, especially my roommates who offered me great encouragement and support in the process of writing the thesis.摘 要 五十年代初,美国作家杰罗姆大卫塞林格(J.D.Salinger)发表了他的代表作麦田里的守望者。在麦田里的守望者中，塞林格阐释了他对儿童形象在文学作品中所表达的纯真及救赎作用的观点。主人公霍尔顿是一个处于极度心理困境中的十六岁少年，他简单地将世界一分为二，儿童世界是乐园，成人世界是死亡谷，儿童是天使，成人是魔鬼。本文基于以上观点，对麦田里的守望者中所塑造的主要儿童形象菲比加以分析和解读，并解释以菲比为主的儿童形象的象征意义，以及她对主人公霍顿成长的影响和对作品主题刻画的影响。 关键词：儿童形象；象征意义；成长ABSTRACT In the beginning of 1950s, the American writer J.D.Salinger published his representative work The Catcher in the Rye. In this work, Salinger expresses his viewpoint of child images in literary works. The viewpoints that children stand for purity , innocence and the redemption. The protagonist Holden Caulfield is a 16 years old teenager who is in his psychological predicament. Holden divides the world simply into 2 partschildhood and adulthood. He thinks the child world is the paradise while the adult world is the hell and he thinks children are angels while adults are devils. Based on these viewpoints, this paper will analyze and interpret the main character of child imagePhoebe and will explain the symbolic meaning of image of the child in The Catcher in the Rye. At last, the paper will explain the influence of the child image on Holdens growth and the description of the theme.Key words: child image, symbolic meaning, growthCONTENTS0. Introduction.11. Child image in the novel.11.1 Some children images.11.2 The main child imagePhoebe.21.3 Main features of Phoebe.22. The symbolic meaning of Phoebe.32.1 Phoebe is a symbol of innocence.3 2.2 Phoebe is a symbol of generosity.42.3 Phoebe is a symbol of genuineness.42.4 Summary.53. Phoebes influence on Holden.53.1 Phoebes influence on Holdens actions.63.2 Phoebes influence on Holdens mental development.63.3 Summary.104. The influence on thematic revealing of the symbolic meaning.10 4.1 The conflict between innocence and experience.104.2 The conflict between the authentic and artificial.114.3 The conflict between change and staying the same.12 5. Conclusion.13Works Cited.14vi-0. Introduction The study is undertaken to find out the symbolic meaning of image of the child in The Catcher in the Rye. Then, the study will find out the significance of the most important child image Phoebes role in the protagonists mental rebirth and in the novels thematic revealing. For Holden Caulfield, Phoebe, Allie and all the children symbolize the innocence and purity of the human being. But they are more than that. A major theme in the New Testament is that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven one must have the purity of heart that can be achieved only by being like little children. Although The Catcher in the Rye is not a typical children book like some of Salingers stories, the novel will be a failure if it was not for those children images that give the work its themes. This paper is consist of four main parts: (1)Child image in the novel (2)the symbolic meaning of Phoebe (3)Phoebes influence on Holden (4)the influence on thematic revealing of the symbolic meaning.1. Child image in the novel If people exist who reconcile Holden Caulfield to life, whom he accepts without reservation, for whom he is ready to go through fire and water, they are children.1.1 Some children images In this novel, the children images are not only his warmly loved ten-year-old sister Phoebe or his deceased brother Allie, there are other children: the boy who sings the song, the kid in the movie, and two little ones in the museum, and the boys and girls studying in Phoebes school. Superficially, among all the characters, they are the ones passing by or just existing in Holden s daily life. However, children have great influence on Holdens view on the world and are later proved to be his saviors.1.2 The main child imagePhoebe Among all the children images, Phoebe is the most important. She is bright but mercurial. Her relationship with Holden is the most important in the novel. Holden thinks about Phoebe quite a bit before going to see her on Sunday night. His feelings of protectiveness about her and the drama the siblings enact on Monday, when Phoebe tries to come with Holden out west, create the climax of the novel. 1.3 Main features of Phoebe Phoebe Caulfield is one of Salingers infuriatingly precocious children. “You should see her,” Holden says, “You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life”(Salinger 87). The same age as Allie was when he died, Phoebe, like him, has had nothing but Allies since she started school. She has learned the dialogue of her favorite movie, The 39 Steps, by heart. And she writes books about a girl detective named “Hazel Weatherfield.” Phoebe and Allie symbolize innocence to Holden. That Holden himself sees childhood as the source of good in human life is indicated in the title of the novel. The description of Phoebe is mainly in chapter 10. In this chapter, Holden describes Phoebe with milder and more pleasant words than when describing adults. He thinks Phoebe is “Somebody with sense and all” and in his eyes Phoebe is so pretty and smart. These can be verified in following plots. In chapter 10, Holden recalls his time with Phoebe. When Holden took Phoebe to see movies, she always could tell which one was a lousy movie and which one was a pretty good movie. In chapter 21, when Holden comes back home secretly to see Phoebe, he is warmly welcomed by Phoebe. Then Phoebe finds out that Holden was kicked out by the school even before Holden tells her. When their parents come home, Phoebe talks to their mother calmly so that the mother does not aware of the exist of Holden. It can be seen that Phoebe is a very smart girl. Phoebe is a considerate girl. In chapter 21, when Holden gives the broken record to her, she does not feel upset at all and even says she is saving pieces of records. She gives her money of Christmas to Holden and comforts Holden when he is crying. Besides these, Phoebe is also a stubborn girl and she loves her brother Holden very much. 2. The symbolic meaning of Phoebe Actually, the symbolic meaning of Phoebe is elaborated in her name. The name “Phoebe” is a species of bird known for flicking its tail and hopping about. It also means “shining” when traced to its old English roots. In mythology, Phoebe is a Titaness who becomes identified with Artemis as goddess of the moon. All these three meanings related to heavenly heights: Phoebe shines as the light in Holdens life, bringing him pure joy and peace when chips are down. The symbolic meaning of Phoebe is mainly expressed by the comparison of children and adults. 2.1 Phoebe is a symbol of innocence “Phony”is the most famous phrase and one of Holdens favorite expressions in The Catcher in the Rye. For Holden, “phoniness”stands for any wrong things around him that he can not tolerate. Due to this he gives himself a reasonable excuse for alienation. He is extremely scared to be an adult. Contrasted with the adults phoniness, the child world is innocent, though they live in the materialistic and corrupt world as well. The child world is the only innocent land of the world. The innocent nature of the child is shown completely from Phoebe. Phoebe tells Holden she is taking belching lessons from one girl, and she lets Holden listen to her belch. And they have such a joyful conversation. Phoebe asks Holden to feel her forehead to see whether she is feverish. Contrasted with the childs innocent, the adults phoniness is always nauseous. That is the reason why Holden fears to enter the adults world. 2.2 Phoebe is a symbol of generosity In that hollow-spirited material world “self-interest” has taken root in peoples mind. What they pursue are money, status and peacockery. This can be proven by their words and behaviors. Self-concerned behaviors of the adult world can be seen now and then everywhere. On the contrary children are generous, this can be found from Phoebes behaviors. Generosity refers not only to the material but also spirits. During the whole story only Phoebe expresses the spirit of love and sharing. Although Holdens gifta phonograph record arrives in pieces, she spares him out of bad feelings and treasures the remains. When Holden asks her for money, she gives him her “Christmas dough”. It is eight dollars and eighty-five cents. She has spent sixty-five cents. Overwhelmed by Phoebes spontaneous generosity, Holden weeps uncontrollably. She puts her arms around his neck, and he puts his arms around her too. No matter in the material or in the spiritual world, the adult only thinks about things for their own interests. But child like Phoebe is still a child with the character of generosity.2.3 Phoebe is a symbol of genuineness Hypocrisy is also a characteristic of the adult world. The kindness appearing on them is only for the sake of their own personal purpose. However, the children only start doing things from their hearts and original ideas. Phoebe is one of the people who treat Holden sincerely. She loves her brother Holden from the deep of her heart. She is among very few people who are able to converse with Holden. She worries about Holden when she knows that Holden was kicked out by his school. “Daddyll kill you!” She repeats these words for times, it shows that she is really cares about Holden. She even wants to come with Holden to the west. Phoebe relies on Holden and expresses her true feelings when she talks to Holden. There are no adults doing this in this novel. 2.4 Summary Phoebe makes Holdens picture of childhood一of children romping through a field of rye一seem an oversimplified, idealized fantasy. Phoebes character challenges Holdens view of the world: she is a child, but she does not fit into Holdens romanticized vision of childlike innocence. Although she never explicitly states it, Phoebe seems to realize that Holdens bitterness towards the rest of the world is really bitterness towards himself. She sees that he is a deeply sad, insecure young man who needs love and support. At the end of the book, when she shows up at the Museum and demands to come with him, she seems not so much to need Holden as to understand that he needs her.3. Phoebes influence on Holden Before we meet Phoebe, Holdens side of the story is all we have been given. He implies that he is the only noble character surrounded by a world of superficial and phony adults, and we must take him at his word. There seems to be a simple dichotomy between the sweet world of childhood innocence, where Holden wants to stay, and the cruel world of shallow adult hypocrisy, where hes afraid to go. But Phoebe complicates his narrative. Instead of sympathizing with Holdens refusal to grow up, she becomes angry with him. Despite being six years younger than her brother, Phoebe understands that growing up is a necessary process; she also understands that Holdens refusal to mature reveals less about the outside world than it does about himself. Next to Phoebe, Holdens stunted emotional maturity and stubborn outlook seems less charming, and more foolish. Phoebe, then, serves as a guide and surrogate for the audience. In general, Phoebes influence on Holden are both physical and spiritual.3.1 Phoebes influence on Holdens actions Holdens most important relationship is with Phoebe. Before going to see her at the family apartment, Holden frequently thinks of calling Phoebe. As Allie is dead, Jane is dating morons like Stradlater, and older brother D. B. is prostituting himself in Hollywood, only Phoebe, the ten-year-old kid ,represents childhood unambiguously for Holden. If the adult world has proven a desert to Holden, then vibrant, spontaneous and uninhibited Phoebe is an oasis. While this visit to her provides a much needed refuge for Holden, it is not enough to mend him. That only comes the next day when Holden recognizes how much he has endangered Phoebe by revealing his intentions to leave New York. When Phoebe arrives at the museum with her suitcase Holden realizes two things: first, that his trip will lead nowhere except to his own death; and second, that once dead he will not be able to protect her from wanting to follow him, just as he has wanted to follow Allie ever since he died. At this moment Holdens unformed desire to protect finally has a chance to be tested. As is said in chapter 25, Holdens first chastising Phoebe and then cautiously bringing her back to a state where she is neither mad at Holden nor entertaining thoughts of following him is a kind of replay of their dance of the previous night, where the dangerous events of real life are converted into beautiful steps. We should not underestimate the effort Holden makes to effect this outcome at a time of true crisis. Yet Holdens playing the catcher in the ryefor realprotecting his sister from going over the cliffpulls him back from the precipice that he has been striding recklessly towards since leaving Pencey on Saturday night. It saves him and finally returns him home.3.2 Phoebes influence on Holdens mental development In the course of Holdens growth, besides his own recognition, there is one person who can not be ignored, that is Phoebe. She is the only person in whom he can find authenticity, innocence and love. Although she is a young girl, she serves as a guide in helping Holden to walk out of his fantasy and come to the reality. It is her love that influences Holden and arouses his hope for life. Love always brings about growth and rebirth. Carl F. Strauch puts up his theory about Holden that he: “psychologically dies only to be born into the world of Phoebes innocence and love” which in turn starts his “own psychological regeneration” (Alexander 55). Phoebe is an emblem of innocence, sincerity and wisdom. Some critics think that Phoebe acts as a mother figure in Holdens life, which substitutes the missing relationships between the child and the parents. Firstly, Phoebe helps Holden realize the fact of Allies death, because Holden is always indulged in the grief over it. When Holden sneaks home, he talks with Phoebe the reason he is expelled from school. He quickly pours out what is bothering him. While at the same time pressed by Phoebe to name one thing he likes, Holden comes up with their brother Allie. Phoebe thinks it can not be included. Because Allie is died. But after Holdens reply that he still likes Allie in spite of his death, Phoebe gets silent, for she would like to leave some time for him to think about the fact. She keeps reminding him that he must live without Allie. What Phoebe has done here is to pull Holden out of his obsession with the sorrows of his past and direct his attention to the existential situation he is in at that time. When Holden intends to borrow some money from his sister, she gives him a