Abstract: The Catcher in the Rye is Jerome David Salinger’s first full-length novel. Under the background of the Second World War, Salinger shows Americans’ loneliness of spirit and puzzle toward their future in a tone of a sixteen-year-old teenager based on his experience in the war. In this novel, Holden detests everything hypocritical and phony in the adults’ world while he enjoys children’s world full of pureness and happiness, which makes him antipathetic to the real world. Holden’ s situation reflects that though America’s economy seemingly develops fast and peacefully after the war, people’s spiritual world distorts a lot and teenagers’ developmental problems become extremely serious and urgent. Based on the symbolism, the paper explores the spiritual world of Holden from four aspects: language, symbolic images, symbolic characters and symbolic surroundings. And the paper analyzes Holden’s growing road, from puzzle, revolt, epiphany to compromise, pushed by his anti-cultural mind.

Key words: J. D. Salinger; The Catcher in the Rye; symbolism; spiritual world

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Symbolism-3

2.1 The Definition of Symbolism-3

2.2 The Features of Symbolism-5

3. Symbols in The Catcher in the Rye-6

3.1 Holden’s Languages and their Symbolic Meanings-6

3.1.1 The Coarse Language -- Holden’s Psychic Catharsis-6

3.1.2 The Fuzzy Language -- Holden’s Growth Puzzles-7

3.2 The Symbolic Images in the Novel-9

3.2.1 The Red Hunting Hat-9

3.2.2 The Disappeared Ducks-10

3.2.3 The Carousel-11

3.3 The Symbolic Characters in the Novel-12

3.3.1 Phoebe and Allie-12

3.3.2 Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini-13

3.3.3 Sally and Jane-14

3.4 The Symbolic Surroundings in the Novel-15

3.4.1 Pencey Prep-15

3.4.2 New York-16

4. The Spiritual World of Holden-17

4.1 Holden’s Puzzlement and Depression-17

4.2 Holden’s Rebellion-18

4.3 Holden’s Epiphany and Compromise-19

5. Conclusion-21

References-22