Abstract:Charlotte’s Web is a fairy tale story about friendship. The author uses the narrative style of the fairy tale to show a compliment and attachment to life itself, giving us the deep and thought about life. Charlotte’s Web was published in 1952, which was by E.B. White, a famous writer of children’s literature. The circulation of this book has been up to 50 million copies. Besides, it has been translated into more than 10 languages and published worldwide. 

In this thesis, an attempt is made to analyze the children’s literature named Charlotte’s Web from the perspective of symbolism. Symbolism, which originates from the French Symbolism Movement in the late 19th century, is used as one of the important devices in modern fiction. The use of symbol can not only deepen the theme, but also often miraculously arouse the reader’s imagination, which endows the work with distinctive meaning. An examination of symbolism in literary works will be immensely helpful. The thesis which bases on the symbolism reveals the author’s thinking about the value of life.

Charlotte’s Web is a very valuable work in the history of children;s literature. It can not only cultivate children’s emotions, but also make children have a deeper understanding of themselves and the world. The work, with its unique charm, has influenced many generations, so it is of profound significance to its research. 

Key words:E.B. White；Charlotte’s Web；Symbolism

摘要:《夏洛特的网》是一部描写关于友情的童话。作者用童话的叙事风格表现出一份对生命本身的赞美与眷恋，给与了我们关于生命的深沉与思索。《夏洛特的网》由美国著名儿童文学作家E.B怀特于1952年出版。至今该书在全球的发行量超过了5000万册，并且被翻译成了十几种文字译本在世界各地发行。

本文试图从象征主义这一角度来分析《夏洛特的网》这部儿童文学作品。象征主义源于19世纪晚期的法国象征主义运动，已成为现代小说中一种重要的创作手法。象征手法的使用不仅能深化主题并使之更形象，而且常常能奇迹般地激起读者的情感并唤起读者的想象，从而赋予作品与众不同的全新意义。象征主义的研究在对文学作品分析中有重要意义。本文基于象征主义的手法，来揭示作者对于生命价值的思考。

《夏洛特的网》是儿童文学历史上一部非常有价值的作品。它不仅能够陶冶儿童的情感，更可以使儿童对自我和世界有一个更深入和全面的了解。这部作品以自己独特的魅力影响着几代人，因此对它的研究具有深远的意义。

关键词：E.B怀特；《夏洛特的网》；象征主义

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

1.1 E.B. White and Charlotte’s Web-1

1.2 Literature Review-3

1.2.1. Literature Review Aboard-3

1.2.2. Literature Review at Home-3

1.3 The Purpose and Significance of the Thesis-5

2 Theory of Symbolism-6

2.1 The Origin of Symbolism-6

2.2 The Definition of Symbolism-6

2.3 Significance of Symbolism in Literature-7

3 Analysis of Symbolism in Charlotte's Web-9

3.1 The Symbolism of Images-9

3.1.1 The Web-9

3.1.2 The Animals Barn-9

3.2 The Symbolism of Animals-10

3.2.1 The Pig Wilbur-10

3.2.2 The Spider Charlotte-11

3.2.3 The Rat Templeton-12

3.2.4 The Other Animals-14

3.3 The Symbolism of Characters-14

3.3.1 The Little Girl Fern Arable-14

3.3.2 Arable Couple and Zuckerman Couple-15

4 Function of Symbolism in Charlotte's Web-17

4.1 Themes of Charlotte’s Web-17

4.2 The Function of Symbolism for Presenting Themes-17

5 Conclusion-19

References-20

Acknowledgments-22