Abstract

Symbolism is an important writing technique which is commonly used in literary works to express the inner world of the characters and the theme of the novel. Color words are important and essential symbolic words to express the diverse symbolic meanings in literature.
The Catcher in the Rye is a typical symbolic novel. From the symbolic meaning of colors people can get much information about the characters’ emotions and the writer’s purpose of writing. The paper will analyze the symbolic meanings of colors in the novel on the ground of the basic meanings of colors in the Western culture, such as red, blue, white, black and grey and interpret the functions in shaping the characters.
The paper also analyzes Caulfield’s depression and disgust over the hypocritical adult world, but he had to become a member of it. However, Phoebe and Allie still gave him much warmth and pleasure. And Caulfield still was an innocent child who wanted to seek the pure and happy world.

Keywords: symbolic meanings; color words; The Catcher in the Rye

摘要

象征主义是一种在文学作品中经常用来表达人物的内心世界和小说主题的重要的写作方法。颜色词是文学作品中能传达多种多样象征意义的重要的和基本的象征词。
《麦田里的守望者》是一本典型的象征小说。通过颜色的象征意义，人们能获取许多关于人物情感和作者写作意图的信息。本论文会根据西方文化中颜色的基本意义来分析小说中的颜色词，如红色，蓝色，白色，黑色和灰色的象征意义以及它们在人物塑造方面的作用。
本论文也分析了考拉菲尔德对于虚伪成人世界的沮丧和厌恶，但是他还是不得不成为了其中的一员。但是，菲比和艾利仍然给了他很多温暖和快乐。而且考拉菲尔德仍旧是一个想要寻找单纯和快乐世界的天真的孩子。

关键词：象征意义；颜色词；《麦田里的守望者》