ChapterTwoOverviewofSymbolismStartingwiththedefinitionandfunctionofsymbolism,thischapterwillgiveabriefoverviewofsymbolismandhaveapreliminaryunderstandingofit,soastofacilitatetheunderstandingofsymbolisminthisnovel.2.1TheDefinitionofSymbolismNovelsfrequentlyemploysymbolismasasignificantmeansofartisticexpression.Theuseofparticularindividualsorobjectstoconveyanabstractideaoremotionisknownassymbolism.Symbolscanbeusedtoconveygoodfeelingsormockundesirableaspectsofsociety,representingthecreator’ssearchofbeautyorcritiquingthelatter.Unwantedoccurrence.Theuseofsymbolicexpressioncangivethepiecemoredepthandrevealtheauthor’sideasthataretoughtodescribeinexplicitsentences,leavingreaderswithaninterminableaftertaste.Thegoalofusingsymbolismasawritingtechniqueistomakeliteraryworksmorebeautifulandsignificantforreaders,fosteringasenseofaestheticsatisfactionwhilereading.SymbolismoriginatedinEuropeattheendofthe19thcentury.Someintellectualsweredissatisfiedwiththesociallifeandofficialcultureatthattime,buttheywereunwillingtoexpresstheirthoughtsdirectly.Therefore,theyoftenusedsymbolicorallegoricalmeanstoexpresstheirwishesthroughthedepictionofthefictionalworld,whichgraduallyformedandproducedsymbolicart.LaterJeanMorasproposedthenamesymbolism.Symbolismmainlyincludespre-symbolismandpost-symbolism.Theformerismainlymanifestedinthere-graspandinterpretationofliteraryfeaturesandessence,whichhasstrongmetaphorandimplication.Post-symbolismpaysmoreattentiontotheknowledgeofreligiouscultureinvolvedinthecreationprocess,andemphasizesthecombinationofreligiousculture,historicalallusionsandliteraryworks,whichhavestrongartisticandphilosophicalcharacteristics.Symbolismdoesnotpretendtobeobscureandprofound,butitisnotveryclearandexaggerated,sothatreaderswillhaveahalf-darkreadingexperienceintheprocessofreadingsuchliteraryworks,whichnotonlyhasprofoundconnotationsoftruth,butalsohasstrongpracticalsignificance.2.2TheFunctionofSymbolisminLiteraryWorksSymboliclanguagefeaturescanreflecttheauthor’suniquewritingstyle.Everyauthorhasadistinctivewritingstyle,andtheauthor’sworksreflectthatstyle.Eachstylehasextraordinarylinguisticfeatures;everywriterintheprocessofcreationtotheirownlanguageshowsanextraordinarystyle,extraordinarytoattractattention,extraordinarytoembodystyle.Byfeelingthesymbolicfeaturesofthetextlanguage,readerscannothelpbutclassifysuchworksintotheteamofacertainauthor.Symboliclanguagefeaturescanreflectthedifferencesofdifferentcultures.Cultureandlanguageinteractwitheachother.Culturehasacertaininfluenceonthelanguage,andlanguagecanreflectculturetosomeextent.Cultureistheheritageofsociety,notbiologicalinheritance;Cultureissharedbygroups,notbyindividuals;cultureisastyleoflife,includingallaspectsoflife;culturecomesinmanyforms,bothvisibleandinvisible.Invariouscultures,eventhesamethingmighthavevarioussymbolicconnotations.Therefore,understandingthesymbolicthingsinthesourcetextcannotonlyhelpthetargetlanguagereaderstounderstandandacquirethecontentandmeaningofthesourcetext,butalsohelpthereaderstoexperiencethedifferencesbetweendifferentcultures.Thedistinctsocialcontextmightbereflectedinsymboliclanguagetraits.Greatworksofartdepictlifeandarehigherthanlife;theyareproductsoflife.Thepurposeofthesymbolistoconveytruefeelings,aprofoundmeaning,andsomethingcaptivatingbyusingadistinctimageofsomethingtoalludetoacertainpersonorreason.Throughsymboliclanguage,weareabletoexperiencethetaleandsocialcontextthatlieoutsideofthetextinadditiontothebeautythatthetextitselfbrings.AccordingtoHegel,thesymbolseekstomakepeopleawareofitsunderlyinguniversalmeaningratherthanaparticularitemlikeitself.ChapterThreeAnalysisoftheApplicationofSymbolisminTheCatcherintheRyeTheCatcherintheRyeusesalargenumberofsymbolictechniques.Thischapterstartswiththeenvironment,charactersandthings,andanalyzesthesymbolicmeaningofeachimage.3.1TheSymbolismoftheEnvironmentintheNovelThissectionintroducesthesymbolicmeaningofplacesinthenovel,andinterpretsthesymbolicmeaningbehindtheplacesinthenovel.3.1.1PenceyMiddleSchool—MicrocosmofAmericanSocietyPenceymiddleSchoolwasaplacewherefullofhypocritesandcheaters.Theschoolwasfullofthievesandallthepeoplewerephony.Onceheschoolencouragedstudentstobeapromisingyoungperson.However,theteachingmodeofpenceymiddleSchoolwasfalseandempty.penceyHighSchoolwasthebestsymboloftheUnitedStates.Holdendidnotpassfourcourses,theleadersoftheschoolsackedhimfourtimes,buttheydidnotknowHolden'sdeparturejustbecausehisinnerrebellionandthelongingfortherealfreedom.penceymiddleSchoolcanbeviewedastheminiatureofUniteStatessociety.TheUniteStatesbecamethewinnerafterWorldWarII,people'slifewasextremelyrich,butthecountrywasfacingaveryhorriblesocialproblemthatwastheyoungergenerationwoulddegenerate.ThesocialbackgroundwasinseparabletotheresultandpenceymiddleSchoolwasthebestdescriptionofUniteStatessociety:theUniteStateswasfullofwealthandpoverty,progressandbackwardness,sincerityandhypocrisy.Thesituationwouldlettheyoungergenerationtothecorruptionandconfusion.PeopleintheUnitedStateswereveryindifferent,justastheinsolubleicy;people'sspiritualliveswereextremelyscarce,justastheemptylandinthewinter.Holdenwasfiredbytheschoolleaders,theworsethingwasthathelosthisfurcoatandleatherglovessohewasveryflustered.Hewaswearingathincardigan,justastheuglyducklingcoldanddespair.Heimagedhimselfasaducklookingfortheplacetolive.Finally,HoldenevenwantedtoescapetotheWestandtobeahermitinthecabinbythelakeandcutoffcontactwiththerealworldcompletely.Whatcausedthe16-year-oldboyhadsuchideas?Ithinksocietywasthemainreason.penceyHighSchoolwasaplacewhereHoldenstudyinandalsotheplacewhichHoldenhated.becausetheschoolwasveryhypocritical,itlookedlikethehypocriticalworld,soitcanbeseenthesocialatmosphereoftheUniteStatesatthattime.3.1.2TheEmpty,ColdStreets—ApathybetweenPeopleThestreetsofNewYorkareanotherscenedeliberatelyarrangedbytheauthor.ThedayHoldenisfiredisChristmasEve,theweatherisextremelycold,hehasnowaytogo,butcanonlywanderaroundtheemptystreets.ThehellishcoldnessoftheemptyNewYorkstreetisthesymboloftheatmosphereintheAmericansociety.Therelationshipbetweenpeopleseemstohaveawall,cold,selfish,heartlessandindifferent.Afterbeingthrownoutofschool,Holdenlosthiscoatandglovesandbecamecoldanddesperate.Heeventhoughtoffleeingtothewestandlivinginseclusionfromtheworld.Holden’sandsociety’sdesperationareintertwined.Hewantstoisolatehimselffromcivilizationandtheoutsideworld.Hisproposalisgroundedinsocialrealities.3.2TheSymbolismoftheCharactersintheNovelThissectionanalyzesthesymbolicmeaningofHoldenandAllieinTheCatcherintheRye,sothatwecanhaveadeeperunderstandingofthecharacterinthenovel.3.2.1Holden—RebelliousThoughtsandActionsHoldenimpressedpeoplemostwithhisrebelliousthoughtandbehavior.Asachildofthemiddleclass,hehasabitterlonely,cynicalspiritualworld.Hecravessincerityandfriendship,butheissurroundedbyhypocrisyanddeception.Heisnotaccustomedtothesecularsocietyofallkindsofhumanconditions,mocking,criticizingeveryaspectofadultsociety,butheisunabletochangethissituation,butnotaspirant,cynicism,badstudentandothernegativewaystoresistthereality,evenindulge,prostitution...Finally,hemadethedecisiontofleetheactualworldandpretendedtobedumbanddeafinthewilderness.3.2.2Allie—DisappearanceofInnocenceThecharactersinTheCatcherintheRyewiththestrongsymbolicimpliedmeanings.Allie,Holden’sbrotherwhohaddiedformanyyearsandheneverappeared,hewasjusttheimageinthenovel.ButHoldenmentionedhisbrotherAlliemanytimes,Alliewasveryclosetotheinnocenceofchildhoodinthenovel.InHolden’sopinion,Alliewasoneofthefewpeopleintheworldofadultswhichfullofhypocrisyandwithoutbeingassimilated.ThemoreimportantpointwasthatAlliewastheactuallyidealimageinHoldenheartandAllierepresentedtheinnocenceandpurityinhisheartaccordingtohispursuit.HoldenadmittedhisrespectforAlliewasmorethanJesus,HoldenprayedforAllieandblessedforAllie.AlliewasalwaysasymbolofchildhoodmemoriesinHolden’sheart.Allie’sdeathhitHoldenandimpliedHolden’schildhooddisappearedforeverinhismemories,hischildhoodhadcameback.Althoughthenovelwasnotdistorted,thewholestorywasstraightforward.Therewerealotofgreatcharacters,Holden’syoungerbrotherAlliewasoneofthem.AlthoughAlliediedatthebeginningofthenovelanddidnotappearagaininthenovel.Alliewasrepeatedmentionedintheprotagonist’snarration,thiswastheulteriormotivesoftheauthor.AllierepresentedtheinnocenceandhewasalsothesymbolofHoldeninneryearningforchildhoodinnocence.InHolden’seyes,hisyoungerbrotherwasdifferentfromthesanctimoniousadultsintheworld.Allie’sdeathwasasymbolofinnocencethathadmovedawayfromtheprotagonist’slife.AlliecouldbeseenastheenvyofHolden.TherewasoneindicationwasthatHoldenprayedandmissedhisbrother,butthisalsosymbolizehisresignationofthereality.Alliejustlikethedisappearanceofinnocenceinthenovel.3.3TheSymbolismofObjectsinFictionTherearemanythingsmentionedinthenovel,suchastheredcap,Phoebe’sbluepajamas,redhair,etc.Thissectionselectsseveralkeythingsinthenovelandanalyzestheirsymbolicmeanings.3.3.1RedCap—RadicalismandRebellionTheheartoftheherointhenovelisnotcompletelygray,butyoucanstillfindalotofbrightcolorsifyoulookclosely,suchasthe“redduckhat”repeatedlymentionedbyHolden,theredhairandblueclothesofhisyoungerbrotherAllieandsisterPhoebe.Theyarethemostcherishedandbestchildreninhismind.Thehatwiththelongbrimappearedtwenty-fourtimes,andthispassagewasthebestdescriptionofit:“ItwasacomforttoleaveOldSpencer’shouseandgobacktomyownroom,becauseeveryonewasattheballgameandtheheatwason,whichmadeitverywarmandcomfortable.Itookoffmycoat,unbuttonedmytie,loosenedmycollar,andputonthehatIhadboughtthatmorninginNewYork.”[1]102Thisoccursinthethirdchapterofthenovel,whenhevisitshishistoryteacher,Mr.Spencer.Depressedbythecriticism,hegivesuptheideaofgoingtotheballgameandmentionshishatwhenhereturnstohisroom.Holdenhimselfwasawareoftheridiculeandcontemptfrompeoplearoundhim,buthedidn’ttakeitseriouslyandeventhought“itlooksbeautifulinthisway”,becausehefeltfromthebottomofhisheartthatthiscolorfulhatrepresentedapurepositivecolorandattitude,whichwasthepureworldhewaslongingfor,buttherealitywascruel.Whatseemednormaltohimwasagreatrebellionandradicalintheeyesoftheteachersandclassmatesaroundhim.Hisparentsdidn’tunderstandhim.Hisfatherwasaveryfamousandsuccessfullawyer,butthatwasnotwhathewanted.Hisideaofsuccesswasnotwhathewantedatall.Thedesiretohelpthemavoidthedirtythingsandpeopleoftheworld,tokeepthemfromfallingintothevortexoftheworld,wasattachedtohisextremelycolorfulhat,reflectinghisradicalattitudeandrebelliouscharacter,whichwasquitedifferentfromhisusualtaciturncharacter.Heoftenworehiscapupsidedown,asignofhisdesiretoretreatintothepureworld,theharshgrownupworld,distant.However,healsobelievesthatthisisaformoffantasybecauserealitycompelshimtoentertheadultworld,thisisafacthehastoaccept,sohewillchoosetoturnthehattothefronttowear,showinghiscomplexandfullofcontradictionsinthepsychologicalprocess.3.3.2RedHair—ThePassionandPersistenceInTheCatcherintheRye,SalingeralsogivesavividdescriptionofHolden’sbrotherAllieandsisterPhoebe’sfieryredhair:“He(Allie)hadextremelyredhair.I’lldescribethetypeofhairhehas.IfirsttookupgolfwhenIwastenyearsold.IrememberplayinggolfonesummerwhenIwastwelve,andIthoughtallIhadtodowasturnaroundandI’dseeAllie,andIlookedaroundandsureenough,hewasonhisbikeoutsidethefence—therewasafencearoundthegolfcourse—andhewassittingabout150yardsfromme,Watchingmeplay.He’sgotredhairlikethat,andshe’sgotredhairlikeAllie’s...Butthathairisreallybeautiful.”[1]215YoucouldseethatAllieandPhoebe’shairwasveryred,brightandbeautiful.InHolden’smind,hisdeceasedbrotherAllieisavirtuouslittlesaint,theembodimentoftruth,purityandmorality,whilehissisterPhoeberepresentstheuniquepassionandvitalityofchildren.ThroughthevividdepictionofAllieandPhoebe’sflaminghair,thenovelimbuesredwiththemeaningoftruelove.Holdengrewupinanuncaringworld.Everyoneisselfish,therelationshipisascoldasice,sincerefeelingsbetweenpeoplehavegivenwaytothemadpursuitofmaterial.Parentsaregivingtheirchildrenlessandlesslove.InHolden’seyes,fatherisjustanabstractconcept,apersonwhocanonly“pullmoney”intothefamily;thenervousfragilemother,however,wouldonlyhavehystericalfitsandlittlecareforHolden,evenbuyingthewrongpairofskatesforherson.Itshowsthedearthoftruelove.Butforallthat,“he[Holden]yearnedforalifethatwastrulymeaningfulandgenuinelylovedthegoodthingsinlife.”ItcanbeseenthatHoldenwasayoungmanfullofdesireandlove,butunabletogetlovefromadults,hepouredhisloveintothechild.HisyoungerbrotherAlliedied,butHolden’saffectionforhimisstillthesame.HestillhasAllie’smittensfullofpoems,andheoftenvisitsAllie’sgrave.Hedoesn’twanttheraintogetonAllie’s“belly.”TheimageofAllie’slovelyredhairwassodeeplyrootedinHolden’smindthatevendeathcouldnoteraseit.Holdenisalsogenuinelylovingandcaringforhissister:whenheaccidentallydropsarecord,hehasmanagedtobuyforPhoebeonthefloor,heis“soupsetinsidethathealmostfuckingcries”;healsoreturnshometosaygoodbyetoPhoebeatthe“risk”ofbeingdiscoveredbyhisparents.Holden,too,enjoystruelovefromhisyoungersiblings.Alliehadoftengonetoseehimplay,andwasHolden’sloyallittlespectator.AndPhoebegaveHoldenthefewdollarsshehadwhenhewasalone.Althoughthesemayseeminsignificant,theirsignificancetoHoldenisnotordinary:itistheembodimentoflove,andtrueloveiswhatHoldenissearchingforinthiscoldrealityasice.AllieandPhoebeareinnocent,lovingcharacters,bothwithredhair,coveredinfieryhues.Symbolsarerootedindeepculturaltraditionsandsocialpsychology.Symbolismcannotbeproducedwithoutcommonsenseassociations.AsLevi-StrausspointedoutinTheWildMind,someprimitivepeoplesbelievedthatthered-headedwoodpeckerwasprotectedfromraptors.Justlikewoodpeckerswithredheads,EllieandPhoebeareprotectedfromexternalinfluences.Itisthemagicofredthatmakesthemretaintheirloveandauthenticity.ItisthelightfromredthatshinesintoHolden’sheart,whichiseagerforloveandbeauty,andinfusesatrickleoftruelove.Holdenseemstobepassiveandpassiveonthesurface,buthestillharbor-edatenaciousexpectationinhisheart.Heclungtoabeautifulandunpollutedworldoftruth.Inhiseyes,hisyoungerbrothersandsistersasinnocentchildrenarethekindestandpurestgoodpeopleintheworld.Heisdesperatetoprotectthemandprotectthispreciouspureland.Helovedthemsomuchthathewaswillingtodefendthemstubbornlyinordertopursuetheeternityofallthesethings.Fromtheredhairthatshowedthefieryvitalitydescribedbyhim,itcanbeseenthatHoldenputinexhaustibleeffortandexpectationintothistenaciousandpassionatevitality.Redisapositivecolor,representingtheexuberantpassionandvitality,representingtheendlesspureloveandpursuit.AnotherredcolorinthenovelisthehairofHolden’syoungersiblings,AllieandPhoebe.Holdenbelievesthathisbrotherandsisterarethebestpeopleintheworld.Theyarewisdom,purity,understandingandothergoodqualities.Theyaresimplyangelsincarnate.Theyallhaveaheadofbrightredhair,justlikeafire,fullofexuberantenthusiasmandpersistence,indicatingthatthereisinfinitevitality,topersistentlypursuethetruth,thepursuitofarealgoodlife.3.3.3RedBlood—theHarshandRuthlessRealityoftheEnvironmentInadditiontoitspositivesideinthiswork,redhasbeenendowedwithanotherlevelofmeaning,namely,negativemeaning.Oneofthemostwidelyusedcolorwords,“red”isoftenassignedtoblood,sacrifice;astrongpassion;chaosandothersymbolicmeanings.InHolden’squestforwarmth,truelove,truthandlife,“blood”,asamaterialembodimentofred,appearsmanytimesinrealityandHolden’sfantasies,fromwhichwecanseethehorriblesoulofred.“Blood”,theredsubstance,isoftenthoughttohavethemeaningofcruelty,struggle,killingandotherhorrors.Asasymbolicimage,bloodhasakindofno.Ordinarytensionandparadoxicalnature.Inthespectrum,redisthemostprominentcolor,anditisoneofthecolorswiththestrongestvisualstimulationamongallcolors.Thecorrespondingimagesareoftenobjectsandconceptsthatexpressstrongemotions,suchasblood,rebellion,collisionandsoon.Itrepresentsthecruelestthingsintheworld,namelydeathandviolence.Inourdailylives,weassociatebloodwithcarnage,violence,terroristattacks,andsoon.Bloodoftenrepresentspainanddeath.ThereisnodoubtthatHolden,whopursuedabsoluteidealization,waslonely,weakandskepticalofhisownsituationandpower.Heoftenthoughtandfeltthecrueltyandcoldnessoftime.Heislonely,noonecaresforhim,understandsandhelpshim,notevenawillingtotalktohim,heissosensitiveandfragile,hehasnoresistanceinthefaceofthedarkness,heispoor.ChapterFourTheFunctionofSymbolisminTheCatcherintheRyeWehavealreadyhadapreliminaryunderstandingoftheroleofsymbolism.Thefollowingchapterwillanalyzethespecificroleofsymbolisminthisnovel.4.1BuildCharacterImageInTheCatcherintheRye,theauthorsuccessfullyshapedadecadent,rebellious,Theprotagonistpictureisfullwithinconsistencies,andsymbolismisusedextensively.Bydescribingthesurroundings,objects,colors,andotherelements,theauthorgivesthemanewconnotation,theheroimagedepictionincisivelyandvividly.Forexample,the“huntinghat”oftenmentionedinthearticle,althoughHoldenagreesthatwearingitlooksvulgar,hestilllikesitandthinksitisbeautiful,whichshowshisdisdainforthemainstreamaestheticviewofthesocietyanddisdainforthehypocrisyoftheadultworld.ReaderscanseeHolden’srebelliouscharacterhere.4.2HighlighttheThemeInthisnovel,alargenumberofsymbolicdevicesareusedtowritethedissatisfactionwiththesocietyatthattimeintothenovel,soastoestablishthesignificanceofthenovelandreality,whichnotonlyreflectsthesocialsituationatthattime,butalsoexpressedtheauthor’sviews.4.2.1QuestionTraditionalValuesHolden’slivingenvironmentcanbesummedupinawordas“hypocrisy”.WecanbeseenfromtheexperienceofHolden,theprotagonistinthework,theso-calledrulesandregulationsinschoolsareactuallyaimedatkillingtheinnocenceandpurityofyoungpeople.Theso-calledparentalloveandcareforchildreninthefamilyactuallykillstheirfreedomandindividuality.Theso-calledsupportandeducationoftherespectedelderly,buttomeettheirownlowdespicabledesire.Theexpected“goodboy”insocietyisnothingbuttomoldnewhypocritesundertheantiquatedmoralstandardsandretrogradevalues.Thedeteriorationoftraditionalvaluesandthereplacementofancientmoralscannotbestopped,asevidencedbyfacts.Inadditiontooutliningthefundamentaltensionbetweenthetwoidealsinthisbook,Salingeralsoforeseesthedifficultieswithwhichthenewvalueswillemerge.TheemergenceofHolden’ssisterPhoebeatthebook’sconclusionislikearayofradiantsunshinepiercingthedismalsky,openingpeople’sheartswide.4.2.2RevealingtheChaoticofCulturalSituationWiththeColdWarescalatingandtheshadowofWorldWarIIstillhangingoverthecountry,the1950sintheUnitedStateswereturbulent.Ontheonehand,scienceandtechnologyadvancequickly,whileontheother,peoplearemorallybankruptandlackideas.Itmaybeclaimedthatatthattime,theentiresocietywasundergoingsignificantcontradictionandchange.Thoseyoungfolkswhohaverecentlygraduatedfromschoolareundoubtedlytheoneswhoaremostaffectedbythiscircumstance.The“BeatGeneration”movementwithagenerationofyoungpeopleasthemainbodybegantoriseinthecontextofthesocialbackgroundthattheywereunabletochangeandintheculturaltrendoftheso-called“Greatyouthturmoil,”thusformingtheconsciousnessandatmosphereof“radical,”“rebellion,”and“decadence”permeatingtheentiresociety.These“Beauticians”and“hippies”establishedapopularculturecharacterizedbygoatees,longhair,drugusage,promiscuity,andthepromotionofEasternreligionslikeZenandBuddhism.Theseyoungpeoplevoicedtheirunhappinessanddemandsinahumorousandplayfulmanner,challengingandrejectingthedominantcultureandtraditionalvaluesoftheperiod.Theycouldonlytreatthemcynicallysincetheyhadnoideawheretolookforarouteout.Theirharshbehaviorandattitudehadasignificantimpactonthepost-wartrendsinWesternliteratureandevensocialculture.IthasbeenpointedoutthatHoldenwasactuallytheoriginalBeat.Histhoughtandbehaviortrulyreflectedthespiritandtypicalcharacteristicsoftheyoungpeopleatthattime.Inreality,TheCatcherintheRyeanditsprotagonistHoldenarealreadyhouseholdnames,reflectingthementalityandspiritualoutlookofAmericanyouthintheso-called“silentdecade”afterthewar.ChapterFiveConclusionFromthepointofviewofsymbolism,theexquisiteuseofsymbolismbyJ.D.Salingercanbeseeneverywhereinthisnovel.Despitethesimplicityofthestory,Salingerimbuedmanyofthevisibleobjectsandcharacterswithprofoundsymbolismthatwasinvisible.Revealingasocialbackgroundfullofuglinessandcorruption.Manyscholarshaveanalyzedthesymbolismofthisnovelfromtheirownperspectives,mostlyfocusingontheanalysisofthehero,objectandcolor.However,fewpeoplehavesystematicallyandverticallyexploredsymbolisminnovelstorevealth