1、毕业论文开题报告英语麦田里的守望者中象征手法的解读一、论文选题的背景、意义霍尔顿是当代美国文学中最早出现的反英雄形象之一，他的性格较为复杂，有受资本主义社会耳濡目染的丑恶一面，但也有反抗现实、追求理想的纯洁一面。从第二次世界大战结束到今天的当代美国文学中，有两部小说经过三十多年时间的考验，已被认为是“现代经典”一部是黑人作家拉尔夫艾里森的无形人，一部就是本书。二十世纪五十年代初塞林格发表的长篇小说麦田里的守望者领导了美国文学创作的新潮流，它使得思想贫乏、感情冷淡的五十年代的美国人为之倾倒，这个时期完全可以称作超于文学定义的“塞林格时代”。哈桑说“近期小说中最主要、最突出的形象就是叛逆者受害者的
2、形象。”几乎没有哪部美国小说能比麦田里的守望者更贴切鲜明地印证这个结论。马克思所说“物的世界的增值和人类的精神世界的贬值成正比”。二战后的美国正处于物质条件飞速发展的时代，而人们的精神还停留在对战争的恐惧对未来的迷茫中。在这样的物质丰裕，精神溃乏的土壤上，人们没有信仰，没有理想，于是生出了五十年代被称为“垮掉分子”的孤独和异化的新一代青年。主人公霍尔顿正是这垮掉的一代的代表，反映了时代的特征，深化了作品的主题。二、研究的基本内容与拟解决的主要问题1研究的基本内容11象征手法象征手法是根据事物之间的某种联系，借助某人某物的具体形象（象征体），以表现某种抽象的概念、思想和情感。它可以使文章立意高远
3、，含蓄深刻。恰当地运用象征手法，可以某些比较抽象的精神品质，化为具体的可以感知的形象，从而给读者留下深刻的印象，赋予文章以深意，从而给读者留下咀嚼回味的余地。美国诗人和文艺评论家亚瑟西蒙斯将象征定义为“形式对思想，有形对无形的一切约定俗成的表现。”也就是说，象征是用客观世界中的具体事物或形象来暗示和传达艺术家的思想和情绪。12使用象征手法的意义运用象征手法，可使抽象的概念具体化、形象化，可使复杂深刻的事理浅显化、单一化，还可以延伸描写的内蕴、创造一种艺术意境，以引起人们的联想，增强作品的表现力和艺术效果。把抽象的事理表现为具体的可感知的形象。可以使文章更含蓄些，运用眼前之物，寄托深远之意。13
4、象征手法在麦田里的守望者中的使用的意义首先，系统地论述象征和象征手法的定义。麦田里的守望者中大量的象征不同程度地推动了情节的发展，反映了小说的主题，预示了主人公的命运。其次论述小说中象征事物的具体意义。小说的标题麦田里的守望者别有风格、包含着丰富的象征意义。别有风格、包含着丰富的象征意义。它虽出自小说第二十二章，但它涉及了一幅反复出现在主人公霍尔顿头脑中的潜意识画面，是这位理想主义者立志追寻的“理想”，它是贯穿全文的一大线索，使看似杂乱无章的全文各部外松内紧，环环相扣；其次“红色猎帽”是小说中反复出现的意象，形成了贯穿全书的又一主线。在小说中除了上述贯穿全书的象征外，作者还设置了大量的局部象征
5、，如冬鸭、风雪、悬崖等，这些象征对反映作品主题、塑造人物形象，具有不可缺少的作用。最后，小说的结尾综述全文，并指出通过使用象征事物，主人公霍尔顿的困境和悲剧性的结局被生动地体现出来。2拟解决的主要问题和预期达到的目标了解象征手法的相关概念，找出小说简单的事物描述背后的深层意义，从而深层理解小说麦田里的守望者的深层主题。生活中有些事情比较复杂但又有深刻意义，不是三言两语所能讲得清楚，有时则又是不便明说的。此时运用象征的手法，通过某一形象表现出深远的含义，让人既能体会到事物的意义，又能体味到文章语言的深刻与美好，赋予文章以深意，从而给读者留下咀嚼回味的余地。含蓄蕴藉，意味隽永。三、论文详细工作进度
6、和安排2010年10月11月15日确定论文题目2010年11月15日2010年11月30日指导老师下达任务书，学生提交开题报告，文献综述2011年1月底前提交论文初稿2011年3月底前初稿、二稿的修改2011年4月底前三稿的修改2011年5月中旬前定稿，提交按要求装订的论文终稿一式三份四、主要参考文献ABRAMS,M,HAGLOSSARYOFLITERARYTERMSMBEIJINGFOREIGNLANGUAGETEACHINGANDRESEARCHPRESS,19997GRUNWALD,HENRYANATOLEMSALINGERACRITICALANDPERSONALPORTRAITNEWY
7、ORK,EVANSTON,ANDLONDONHARPERCONFUSIONQUESTIIICONTENTS摘要ABSTRACT11INTRODUCTIONTOJDSALINGERANDTHENOVEL412INTRODUCTIONTOSYMBOLANDSYMBOLISM42SYMBOLSOFROLECONFUSION521THETHOMSENHILL522CHILDRENANDADULTCHARACTERS623THEREDHUNTINGHAT724“THECATCHERINTHERYE”83SYMBOLSOFQUESTANDDOOMOFHOLDENSQUEST931SYMBOLSOFQUES
8、T9311SYMBOLSOFQUESTFORSELFIDENTITY9312SYMBOLSOFQUESTFORINNOCENCE10313SYMBOLOFQUESTFORPROTECTION1132SYMBOLSOFTHEDOOMOFQUEST11321HOLDENSPARENTS12322JAMESCASTLE12323DIRTYWORDSONTHEWALL134CONCLUSION13BIBLIOGRAPHY14ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS1541INTRODUCTIONTHECATCHERINTHERYETHEONLYNOVELBYSALINGER,DESCRIBESHOLDENST
9、HREEDAYROVINGINNEWYORKTOREFLECTTHESPIRITUALSTRUGGLEOFAMERICANYOUTHIN1950SITHASALASTINGINFLUENCEONAMERICANYOUTHTHEREAREMANYSYMBOLSINVOLVEDINTHECATCHERINTHERYE,SOANALYZINGTHEUSEOFSYMBOLISMINTHENOVELCANHELPREADERSUNDERSTANDITBETTER11INTRODUCTIONTOJDSALINGERANDTHENOVELJDSALINGER19192010,ADISTINGUISHEDAM
10、ERICANNOVELISTANDSHORTSTORYWRITER,HOLDSASIGNIFICANTPLACEINLITERATUREAFTERWORLDWARTWOHEISFAMOUSFORHISFIRSTNOVELTHECATCHERINTHERYE1951,WHICHHASBECOMEONEOFTHETWO“MODERNCLASSICS“INCONTEMPORARYAMERICANLITERATURETHEOTHERONEISRALPHELLISONSTHEINVISIBLEMANPUBLISHEDIN1952THESTORYCOVERSASPANOFTHREEDAYS,FROMTHE
11、DAYHOLDENLEAVESPENCEYPREP,THEFOURTHSCHOOLHEHASFLUNKEDOUTOF,TOTHEDAYHEWATCHEDHISSISTERPHOEBERIDINGCARROUSELINTHERAINATTHEZOOHEINTENDSTOGOHOMEFOURDAYSLATERLIKEOTHERSTUDENTSWHENTHECHRISTMASVACATIONBEGINSHEFEELSDESPERATEHELPLESSNESSDURINGTHETHREEDAYSHESPENDSROVING,SOMETHINGHEENCOUNTERSBECOMESTHELASTSTRA
12、WUPONHOLDENSSHOULDERSANDEVENTUALLYLEADSTOHISBREAKDOWNAFTERTHECATCHERINTHERYEWASPUBLISHED,ITBECAMEONEOFTHEMOSTLASTINGBESTSELLERSINTHEHISTORYOFAMERICANLITERATUREIMMEDIATELYINONEWAYORANOTHER,THEBOOKINFLUENCEDMANYYOUNGPEOPLE,ESPECIALLYTHOSEWHOWILLENTERINTOTHEIRADOLESCENCESUCHGREATIMPACTISCLOSELYRELATEDT
13、OTHESOCIALANDHISTORICALBACKGROUNDOFTHENOVELIN1950S,ASTHEWINNERINTHESECONDWORLDWAR,AMERICAGOTALOTOFBENEFITSFROMTHEWARANDTHENITBECAMETHERICHESTANDTHEMOSTPOWERFULCOUNTRYINTHEWORLDINTHEPOSTWORDWARAMERICATHESOCIAL,ECONOMICANDPOLITICALSITUATIONSLEADSTOAMERICANYOUNGMENSPSYCHOLOGICALPROBLEMS12INTRODUCTIONTO
14、SYMBOLANDSYMBOLISMSYMBOLSAREOBJECTS,CHARACTERS,FIGURES,ANDCOLORSUSEDTOREPRESENTABSTRACTIDEASORCONCEPTSINOTHERWORDS,ASYMBOLISANYTHINGWHICHSIGNIFIESSOMETHINGTHEREFORE,ALLWORDSARESYMBOLSFROMETYMOLOGICALPOINTOFVIEW,THEWORD“SYMBOL“COMESTOTHEENGLISHLANGUAGEBYWAYOFMIDDLEENGLISHFROMTHEGREEK5“SMBOLON“THEROOT
15、WORDS“SYN”，MEANING“TOGETHER“,AND“BOL“,MEANING“THROW“NAMELY,THEMEANINGOF“SYMBOL“IS“TOTHROWTOGETHER“THEREFORE,THEORIGINALMEANINGOF“SYMBOL“ISANINCOMPLETETHINGWHICHNEEDSTHEOTHERTHINGORITSOTHERHALFTOMAKEITINTACTSHENJUN,200947SYMBOLISMWASALATENINETEENTHCENTURYARTMOVEMENTOFFRENCHANDBELGIANORIGININPOETRYAND
16、OTHERARTSSYMBOLISMCANBEDESCRIBEDASALITERARYTECHNIQUEOFEXPRESSINGIDEASANDEMOTIONSNEITHERBYDESCRIBINGTHEMDIRECTLY,NORDEFININGTHEM,BUTUSEOFSYMBOLSTOREPRESENTIDEASORQUALITIESTOACERTAINDEGREE,THECATCHERINTHERYEISATYPICALNOVEL,BECAUSETHEAUTHORUSESMANYSYMBOLSINTHENOVEL,SUCHASTHEREDHUNTINGHAT,THENATURALMUSE
17、UM,ANDEVENTHETITLEOFTHECATCHERINTHERYEALTHOUGHTHENOVELISEASYTOREAD,ITISVERYDIFFICULTTOUNDERSTANDJUSTBECAUSEOFSOMANYSYMBOLSINITSYMBOLSINSALINGERSNOVELSAREEFFORTSTOEXPRESSINGWHATHISBOOKSAREABOUTNONEOFTHESYMBOLSAREARTIFICIAL,ALLOFTHEMOCCURNATURALLYINTHESCENESINWHICHTHEYAPPEAR,ANDMOSTOFTHEMALLOWREADERST
18、OMAKESEVERALDIFFERENTINTERPRETATIONS2SYMBOLSOFROLECONFUSIONROLECONFUSIONISANIMPORTANTTHEMEINTHECATCHERINTHERYEASASIXTEENYEAROLDYOUTH,HOLDENISGOINGONHISWAYTOADULTHOODBUTHEFOUNDITISDIFFICULTFORHIMTOADJUSTHIMSELFTOADAPTTOTHEADULTSWORLDADOLESCENCEISAVERYIMPORTANTPERIODINYOUNGMENSDEVELOPMENT，DURINGWHICHT
19、HEYOUNGGOTHROUGHAVARIETYOFCHANGESTOPREPARETHEMSELVESFORADULTHOODINTHENOVEL,ROLECONFUSIONISMANIFESTEDBYTHEUSEOFFOURSYMBOLS,INCLUDINGTHETHOMSENHILL,CHILDRENANDADULTCHARACTERS,THEREDHUNTINGHAT,AND“THECATCHERINTHERYE”,INORDERTOSHOWTHEHEROSPREDICAMENTBETWEENCHILDHOODANDADULTHOOD21THETHOMSENHILLATTHEVERYB
20、EGINNINGOFTHENOVEL,WHENREADERSFIRSTMEETHOLDENCAULFIELDINTHESTORY,HEISSTANDINGONTOPOFTHOMSENHILL,SEPARATEDHIMSELFFROMTHERESTOFSCHOOLMATESATPENCEYPREPSUCHAPOSITIONONTHETOPOFTHOMSENHILLISASYMBOLFORHOLDENSATTITUDEFORTHESOCIETYANDHISUNWILLINGNESSTOGETINVOLVEDINTOTHEHYPOCRITICALANDUNJUSTLIFETHENHOLDENTELL
21、SREADERSTHEFACTTHEREASONIWASSTANDINGWAYUPONTHOMSENHILL,INSTEADOFDOWNATTHEGAME,WAS6BECAUSEIDJUSTGOTBACKFROMNEWYORKWITHTHEFENCINGTEAMILEFTALLTHETOILANDEQUIPMENTANDSTUFFONTHEGODDAMSUBWAYTHEWHOLETEAMOSTRACIZEDMETHEWHOLEWAYBACKONTHETRAINTHEOTHERREASONIWASNTDOWNATTHEGAMEWASBECAUSE1WASONMYWAYTOSAYGOODBYETO
22、OLDSPENCERIFORGOTTOTELLYOUABOUTTHATTHEYKICKEDMEOUTJDSALINGER,20083AFTERBEINGEXCLUDEDBYTHEFENCINGTEAM,HOLDENHASFLUNKEDOUTOFPENCEYPREPHEISNOWHERETOGO,THEREFORE,HEISONLYSTANDINGONTHETOPOFTHETHOMSENHILL,WATCHINGTHEDISAPPOINTINGLIFELIKEANOUTSIDERFROMTHISREADERSCANFINDTHATPEOPLEAROUNDHOLDENAREINDIFFERENTA
23、NDMERCILESSWHENHEISSTUCKONTHETHRESHOLDOFGROWINGUP,HEGETSLOSTTHOMSENHILLPLAYSTHEPARTOFTHEFIRSTSYMBOLOFHISROLECONFUSION22CHILDRENANDADULTCHARACTERSAFTERREADINGTHENOVEL,READERSWILLFINDTHEREAREONLYTHREEPEOPLETHATHOLDENPREFERSTHEYAREPHOEBE,ALLIEANDJANEHOLDENENJOYSRECALLINGALLOFTHEEVENTSTHEYEXPERIENCEDTOG
24、ETHERBECAUSETHESEAREALLHISSPIRITUALENJOYMENTPHOEBEISHISTENYEAROLDSISTERALLIEISHISYOUNGERBROTHERWHOHASDIEDWHENHEWASJUSTALITTLEBOYSOINHOLDENSMEMORY,ALLIEISACHILDFOREVERJANENEVERAPPEARSBEFOREHOLDENSRECALLINGOFHERBUTJANEISHOLDENSIMAGINARYCOMPANIONINTHENOVELWHENEVERHESPEAKSOFTHETHREEOFTHEM,HEISALWAYSSATI
25、SFIEDWITHANYONEOFTHEM,WHICHCANBESEENFROMHISRESPECTIVEDESCRIPTIONSOFTHETHREECHARACTERSHOLDENSDESCRIPTIONOFPHOEBE“YOUSHOULDSEEHERYOUNEVERSAWALITTLEKIDSOPRETTYANDSMARTINYOURWHOLELIFESHESREALLYSMART”JDSALINGER,200867HOLDENSDESCRIPTIONOFALLIE“HEWASTWOYEARSYOUNGERTHANIWAS,BUTHEWASABOUTFIFTYTIMESASINTELLIG
26、ENTHEWASTERRIFICALLYINTELLIGENTHEWASALSOTHENICESTINLOTSOFWAYSHENEVERGOTMADATANYBODYPEOPLEWITHREDHAIRARESUPPOSEDTOGETMADVERYEASILY,BUTALLIENEVERDID,ANDHEHADVERYREDHAIR”JDSALINGER200838HOLDENSDESCRIPTIONOFJANE“AFTERAWHILE,SHEGOTUPANDWENTINANDPUTONTHISREDANDWHITESWEATERSHEHAD,THATKNOCKEDMEOUT,ANDWEWENT
27、TOAGODDAMMOVIE”JDSALINGER200879THEDESCRIPTIONSOFTHESETHREEPEOPLEAREALSOSYMBOLICINMEANINGTHETENYEAROLDPHOEBEREPRESENTSTHECHILDHOODWORLDWHICHISPASTANDHECANNOTLIVEINITAGAINFOREVERALLIEWHOISDEADNOWISTHESYMBOLOFTHETHINGSTHATHAVEPASSEDANDCANNOTGETANYLONGERJANEHASBECOMEOTHERPEOPLESLOVERNOW,ANDSHEISNOT7HISC
28、OMPANIONANYMORESOTHETHREEPEOPLETHATHOLDENLIKESREPRESENTTHEDIFFERENTTHINGSTHATHAVEPASSEDANDTHATHEISNOTABLETOGETAGAININCONTRAST,WHENEVERHOLDENSPEAKSOFTHEPEOPLEWHOAREOLDERTHANHIM,HEALWAYSDOESSOINANUNSATISFACTORYTONEFOREXAMPLE,HEDESCRIBESACKLEYBYSAYING“HEWASASENIOR,ANDHEDBEENATPENCEYTHEWHOLEFOURYEARS,BU
29、TNOBODYEVERCALLEDHIMANYTHINGEXCEPTACKLEY”JDSALINGER,200819SIMILARLY,HISDESCRIPTIONOFSTRADLATERISALSOUNFAVORABLE“HEALWAYSLOOKEDALLRIGHT,STRADLATER,BUTFORINSTANCE,YOUSHOULDVESEENTHERAZORHESHAVEDHIMSELFWITHITWASALWAYSRUSTYASHELLANDFULLOFLATHERANDHAIRSANDCRAPHENEVERCLEANEDITORANYTHING”IBIDTHEFOLLOWINGDI
30、AGRAMSHOWSCLEARLYTHATHOLDENLIKESEVERYTHINGABOUTTHECHILDRENBUTHEDISLIKESANYTHINGABOUTTHEADULTSCLASSIFICATIONCHARACTERSSYMBOLICMEANINGSCHILDRENPHOEBEREPRESENTGOODINHOLDENSMINDALLIEJANETHECHILDRENINTHEPARKADULTSACKLEYREPRESENTBADINHOLDENSMINDSTRADLATERMAURICEERNIETHEHEADMASTEROBVIOUSLY,HOLDENLIKESANYPE
31、RSONWHOISYOUNGERTHANHIMWHILEHEDISLIKESANYPERSONWHOISOLDERTHANHIMHOLDENISEAGERTORETURNTOHISCHILDHOODINOTHERWORDS,HEONLYFEELSCONFIDENTANDHOPEFULOFTHECHILDRENBUTLOOKSDOWNONTHEADULTSHEISNOTWILLINGTOFACEUPTOTHEAGEHEISGOINGTOSTEPINTOBUTINDULGESINTHEPASTHEHASSTEPPEDOUTHELACKSTHECOURAGEANDPREPARATIONTOGRASP
32、THETHINGSOFHISOWNAGEANDHISLIFETIMEHEISACOWARDOFTHEPRESENTANDTHEFUTURE23THEREDHUNTINGHATHOLDENSREDHUNTINGHATSYMBOLIZESHISINDEPENDENCEHEMENTIONSTHEHATEVERYTIMEHEWEARSIT,SYMBOLICOFHISDESIRETOMENTIONHOWINDEPENDENTHEISTHEHATISVERYSTRANGEANDITSHOWSTHATHOLDENISEXTREMELYDIFFERENTFROMPEOPLEAROUNDHIM8THEREDHU
33、NTINGHATWITHAVERYLONGVISORWHICHAPPEARS24TIMESINTOTALISAMONGTHEMOSTRECOGNIZABLESYMBOLSINTHENOVELFURTHERMORE,WHATMAKESHOLDENDIFFERENTFROMOTHERSISTHATHELIKESTOWEARHISCAPWITHTHEPEAKREVERSED“ISWUNGTHEOLDPEAKWAYAROUNDTOTHEBACKILIKEDITTHATWAY“JDSALINGER,200818ITTELLSUSTHEVERYDIRECTIONOFHOLDENSSEARCHHEISTRY
34、INGTOGOBACKWARDWHATHEWANTSTOKEEPANDHOLDONISTHEGOODNESSANDINNOCENCEOFTHECHILDTHEREVERSEDDIRECTIONOFTHECAPPEAKSUGGESTSHISLONGINGFORTHECHILDHOODCONDITIONANDASTATEOFINNOCENCEAROUNDHIMHOLDENBUYSTHEREDHUNTINGHATAFTERHEHASSOMECONFLICTSWITHHISFENCINGTEAMASTHEMANAGEROFTHEFENCINGTEAM,HEISIMMEDIATELYFIREDBYTHE
35、OTHERBOYSAFTERLEAVINGALLTHEEQUIPMENTSONTHESUBWAYTHEREFORE,SINCEITISWHENHEISREJECTEDBYHISFENCINGTEAMMEMBERSTHATHEBUYSIT,ITNATURALLYLEADSREADERSTOTHECONCLUSIONTHATTHEHATISAPROTECTIONFROMHISFAILUREANDHISUNSOLVABLECONFUSIONTHELASTTIMEHOLDENMENTIONSHISHATBEFORELEAVINGPENCEYPREPSCHOOLISTHEBESTPROOFTOHOLDE
36、NSPREDICAMENTWHENIWASALLSETTOGO,WHENIHADMYBAGSANDALL,STOODFORAWHILENEXTTOTHESTAIRSANDTOOKALASTLOOKDOWNTHEGODDAMCORRIDORIWASSORTOFCRYINGIDONTKNOWWHYIPUTMYREDHUNTINGHATON,ANDTURNEDTHEPEAKAROUNDTOTHEBACK,THEWAYILIKEDIT,ANDTHENIYELLEDATTHETOPOFMYGODDAMVOICE,“SLEEPTIGHT,YAMORONSJDSALINGER,200852INTHEDESC
37、RIPTIONABOVE,THECORRIDORSUGGESTSTHATHOLDENISSTANDINGINAVERYNARROWWAYINTHEADOLESCENTWORLD,WHERETHEREISNOCOMPANIONFORHIM,WITHEVERYBODYSLEEPINGLIKETHEDEAD,WHICHSYMBOLIZESTHEINDIFFERENCEANDAPATHYOFHISFELLOWSTUDENTSSEEINGTHIS,HOLDENFEELSLIKECRYINGANDTHENHEPUTSONHISREDHUNTINGHATANDSHOUTSATTHEPITCHOFHISVOI
38、CETOTHESLEEPINGSTUDENTSHEWISHESTOWAKEUPEVERYBODYWITHTHESHOUT24“THECATCHERINTHERYE”THENOVELSMOSTIMPORTANTSYMBOLISFOUNDINTHETITLETHECATCHERINTHERYEITFIRSTAPPEARSINCHAPTER16,WHENAKIDHOLDENADMIRESFORWALKINGINTHESTREETRATHERTHANONTHESIDEWALKISSINGINGTHEROBERTBURNSSONG“COMINTHROTHERYE”INCHAPTER22,WHENPHOE
39、BEASKSHOLDENWHATHEWANTSTODOWITHHISLIFE,HEREPLIESWITHHISIMAGE,FROMTHESONG,OFA“CATCHERINTHERYE”HEEXPLAINSTOPHOEBETHATALLHEWANTSTOBEISTHECATCHERINTHERYEHEPICTURESHIMSELFWEARINGAGIANTMITT,READYTOCATCHKIDSASTHEYFALLOFFACLIFFWHILEPLAYINGINTHERYE9ACTUALLY,THESYMBOLSHOLDENPICTURESINHISIMAGINATIONHAVEDEEPMEA
40、NINGSTHEKIDSREPRESENTCHILDHOODTHEFIELDREPRESENTSINNOCENCETHEFALLFROMTHECLIFFREPRESENTSTHEFALLFROMINNOCENCEHOLDENREPRESENTSTHEATTEMPTTOSHELTERKIDSFROMGROWINGUP,ANDMOREPERSONALLY,REPRESENTSHISDESIRETOAVOIDTHEHARSHNESSOFADULTLIFEHEPREFERSHISOWNIMAGINARYVIEWOFTHEWORLDRATHERTHANDEALWITHTHECOMPLEXITIESOFT
41、HEWORLDAROUNDHIMHEHASACYNICAL,OVERSIMPLIFIEDVIEWOFOTHERPEOPLE,ANDALARGEPARTOFHISFANTASYWORLDISBASEDONTHEIDEATHATCHILDRENARESIMPLEANDINNOCENTWHILEADULTSARESUPERFICIALANDHYPOCRITICAL3SYMBOLSOFQUESTANDDOOMOFHOLDENSQUESTASAMANISBORN,HEBECOMESONEPARTOFTHESOCIETYHEMUSTENTERANDFINDHISPLACEINTHESOCIETYHEMUS
42、TDECIDEWHOHEWANTSTOBETHEREFORE,QUEST,HASALWAYSBEENATRADITIONALTHEMEINWESTERNLITERATUREACTUALLYTHEBIRTHANDDEVELOPMENTOFTHEAMERICANPEOPLEARECLOSELYWITHQUESTEARLYAMERICANANCESTORSCOMETOAMERICANOTONLYFORTHESAKEOFESCAPEFROMRELIGIOUSPERSECUTIONBUTALSOFORTHEPURPOSEOFAQUESTFORTHEGARDENOFEDENINTHEIRDREAMSTHI
43、SPARTWILLANALYZEINDETAILSTHESYMBOLSSUGGESTINGHOLDENSQUESTANDTHOSESUGGESTINGTHEFAILUREOFHISQUEST31SYMBOLSOFQUESTLIKEHISROLECONFUSION,HOLDENSQUESTALSOBEENEXPRESSEDBYSYMBOLSTHEREDHUNTINGHATANDTHEDUCKSINCENTRALPARKARETHECONCRETESYMBOLSTOSHOWHOLDENSQUESTFORSELFIDENTITYPHOEBEANDALLIE,THEMUSEUMANDTHESNOWAR
44、EUSEDTOREPRESENTHISQUESTFORINNOCENCEATLAST,THETITLETHECATCHERINTHERYE,ISSYMBOLOFQUESTFORPROTECTION311SYMBOLSOFQUESTFORSELFIDENTITYTHEREARETWOSYMBOLSINTHENOVELSHOWINGHOLDENSQUESTFORSELFIDENTITYWHENEVERHOLDENISMENTIONED,THEFIRSTSCENEAPPEARINGINTHEREADERSMINDWILLBEAYOUNGMANWEARINGAREDHUNTINGHATHOLDENUS
45、ESTHEHATASAMARKOFINDIVIDUALITYANDINDEPENDENCEWHENHOLDENDOESNOTWEARTHEHATHEWANTSTOFITIN,ATLEAST,TOHIDEHISUNIQUEPERSONALITYTHEDUCKSINCENTRALPARKISALSOANIMPORTANTSYMBOLTOEXPLAINHOLDENSQUEST10FORSELFIDENTITYITAPPEARSTHREETIMESINTHEBOOKHOLDENFIRSTMENTIONSTHEDUCKSINCHAPTER2DURINGHISTALKWITHTHEHISTORYTEACH
46、ERMRSPENCERBEFOREHELEAVESPENCEYPREPHOLDENKEEPSTHINKINGOFTHEDUCKSANDWORRIESABOUTWHERETHEDUCKSGOINTHEWINTERWHENTHEPONDINCENTRALPARKFREEZESOVERHEWANTSTOKNOWIFTHEYMUSTFLYTOTHESOUTHINTHEWINTERTHEDUCKSANDTHEIRPONDARESYMBOLICINSEVERALWAYSREADERSCANCONSIDERHOLDENASTHEDUCK,WHILETHEFROZENLAKEISSYMBOLICOFTHEEN
47、VIRONMENTWHEREHOLDENLIVES,WITHPEOPLEBEINGINDIFFERENTANDMERCILESS312SYMBOLSOFQUESTFORINNOCENCEASDISCUSSEDINTHEPREVIOUSSECTION,HOLDENCHERISHESINNOCENCEOFYOUNGCHILDRENTHECHILDREN,INCLUDINGPHOEBEANDALLIE,ASWELLASTHEMUSEUMANDSNOW,CANBEREGARDEDASTHESYMBOLSFORHISQUESTFORINNOCENCEPHOEBEISHOLDENS10YEAROLDSIS
48、TER,WHOMHOLDENLOVESVERYMUCHTHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENPHOEBEANDHOLDENSHOWSHOLDENLIKESCHILDRENANDHISROLEASAPROTECTOROFINNOCENCEINTHENOVEL,PHOEBEREPRESENTSALLOFTHENOPHONYTHINGS,ANDALSOCHILDRENSINNOCENCEHOLDENATTEMPTSTOKEEPTHEINNOCENCEOFCHILDRENHISLOVELYSISTERPHOEBEISTHEONLYPERSONSWHEREHECANFINDBEAUTY,PURIT
49、YANDLOVEREADERSCANSEEHOLDENSLOVEFORHISLITTLESISTERHEREANDTHEREALLIEISHOLDENSYOUNGERBROTHERWHODIEDOFLEUKEMIAWHENHEWASYOUNGHOLDENLOVESALLIEANDMISSESHIMVERYMUCHHEISAKEYSYMBOLTHROUGHOUTTHESTORYHOLDENOFTENSPEAKSTOHIMWHENHEISDEPRESSEDALLIEISASSOCIATEDWITHDEATH,BUTHEALSOREPRESENTSHOPE,THEGIFTEDINNOCENCEOFCHILDHOODANDSOMETHINGTRANSIENTHOLDENFEELSTHATALLIEWASONEOFTHEFEWPEOPLEWHOARENOTPHONYINTHEWORLDWHILEPHONIESCOVERANYWHEREMOREIMPORTANTLY,ALLIEREPRESENTSTHEINNOCENCE,PURITYANDCHILDHOODTHATHOLDENTRIESTOFINDTHROUGHOUTHISDAILYLIFEHOLDENFINDSTHEMUSEUMAPPE
