Abstract:

The Catcher in the Rye is written by American renowned author Jerome Salinger. The paper is an analysis of Holden Caulfield’s contradictory characters. The novelist vividly created a post-World War II teenager with different character traits, such as rebellion, fragility, and kindness. The young man is lost in his struggling against hypocritical society and the shadow brought by the scandalous school, so he was eager to escape and enter into a world of purity. He missed his childhood and was disgusted with adulthood. He isolated himself from others, and was determined to rebel against the American society. This article put a lot of emphasis on the historical background and explored Holden’s inner world, in order to make readers have a more comprehensive understanding of all the aspects of Holden's characters. The article intends to show the reader that there is no place for Holden to vent his own feelings of depression, as is revealed by the dark essence of capitalism and the evil social customs of pursuing material wealth only.

Key Words: Holden；characteristics；The Catcher in the Rye；contradictions；Jerome Salinger

摘 要：

《麦田里的守望者》是美国著名作家杰罗姆•塞林格写的一部作品。这篇论文是对霍尔顿考尔菲德矛盾性格的分析，小说作者形象地塑造了第二次世界大战后这个青年的不同性格特征。如反叛，脆弱和善良。这个年轻人在对虚伪的社会，由学校丑闻带来的阴影挣扎中迷失了自己，所以他渴望逃脱，进入一个纯净的世界。他错过了童年，对成人世界充满厌恶。这篇文章在对历史背景的描写上花费了不少笔墨，同时揭示了霍尔顿的内心世界,为了让读者从各个方面对霍尔顿的性格有一个更加全面的了解。意图向读者说明霍尔顿无处发泄自己消极苦闷的情绪。揭示了资本主义的黑暗本质，单纯追求物质财富的不良社会习俗。
 
关键词：霍尔顿；性格；麦田里的守望者；矛盾；杰罗姆•塞林格
 
1 Introduction
    It is well-known to all of us that The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most highly regarded novels in American literature. Although The Catcher in the Rye is JD Salinger’s most famous work, it is also a controversial one. The author shaped a problematic boy called Holden Caulfield, who can be seen as a representative of the lost generation after the Second World War. When the book was published, people’s attention was soon attracted by its different contents and unique conception. Some people taunt and depreciate it for it is nothing worthy of praise, while other readers speak highly of it. Regardless of the different comments, there is no doubt that the complicacy and multiversity of the main role’s characters still has great value to be researched. Character is an essential part of the novel, and it is beneficial to depict the details of the story. The scene of the novel is used to highlight the protagonist's characters; characters are portrayed by the stories just as the stories are shaped by characters. Successful works should be given with vivid characterization. To learn the characters of this novel is beneficial for us to comprehend the theme of the whole novel. In this paper, the character of the protagonist will be discussed in detail, so that the readers could have a deeper understanding of the work.