中南林业科技大学 毕业论文.doc

毕 业 论 文 学生姓名： 学 号: 学院： 外 国 语 学 院 专 业： 英 语 论文题目： Deserted Chrysanthemums, Disillusioned DesireInterpretation of Symbolism in “The Chrysanthemums” 丢弃的菊花，破灭的渴望菊花的象征主义解读 指导教师： 评阅教师： 2010年05月18日Deserted Chrysanthemums, Disillusioned DesireInterpretation of Symbolism in “The Chrysanthemums”By ZENG XiaoyiTHESISSubmitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements forThe Degree of Bachelor of ArtsIn the College of Foreign Studies of Central South University of Forestry & TechnologySupervisor: Associate Professor XXX May 2010Central South University of Forestry & Technology Table of ContentsAcknowledgements .iAbstract.ii摘要.iii1 Introduction.12 The Status quo of Research on The Chrysanthemums.2 2.1 The relevant research on The Chrysanthemums 3 2.2 The motivation and feasibility of my study.53 The Theoretical FoundationSymbolism.74 The Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums.74.1 The symbolic meaning in natural scenery .84.1.1 The symbolic meaning in the setting. 84.1.2 The symbolic meaning in the garden and fence.10 4.2 The symbolic meaning in characters 114.2.1 The symbolic meaning in the personality of the characters.12 4.2.2 The symbolic meaning in the connection of the characters.174.3 The symbolic meaning in the image chrysanthemum.194.4 The symbolic meaning in the writing devices.225 Conclusion.24References.25AcknowledgementsI would like to make use of this opportunity to show my hearty gratitude to many people. First I particularly appreciate the guidance of my tutor, Associate Professor DENG Manjiao, who gave me a lot of valuable instructions and detailed correction, and she also tried her best to supply me with the best study conditions to prepare my thesis. It is her kindness that made me finally able to complete this thesis. My appreciation also goes to my classmates, who gave me help and suggestions when I had troubles. Finally, I would like to express my thanks to all my friends for their encouragement and support in my work.AbstractThe Chrysanthemums was written by American novelist Steinbeck. The work had caused great attention in the contemporary critical circle. It was regarded as “one of the greatest short novel in the world”.In this novel, Steinbeck successfully expressed his view with the employment of symbolism. Symbolism had been used throughout the novel and it was also the usage of symbolism which had brought vigor and vitality to the whole novel. Symbolism is of great significance in The Chrysanthemums. Since the work The Chrysanthemums was published, most researches about the work was done on its feminism and realism, while these on the symbolism were comparatingly scarce. The thesis aims to analyze the specific symbolic meaning in The Chrysanthemums from the four main factorsnatural scenery, characters，the image and writing devices in the novel. The thesis cites the symbolism theory to further illustrate the great significance of the employment of symbolism in literature.Key Words: The Chrysanthemums; symbolism; interpretation; women awareness摘要斯坦贝克的短篇小说菊花一经出版就引起了评论界的很大关注和争议，被誉为“世界上最伟大的短篇小说之一”。在这部作品中，斯坦贝克成功地借助象征手法表达自己深层次的思想。象征手法的使用贯穿全文，它使得整部作品都充满了生机与活力。象征手法在该作品中具有至关重要的作用。自菊花发表以来，有关它的研究主要围绕它的女性主义和现实主义展开，而对于象征手法的研究则缺乏系统地分析。本文主要从该作品中的自然景观、人物、意象、写作手法四大要素中系统地分析象征手法的运用，并阐述其具体的象征含义。本文引用了象征主义的理论来进一步揭示象征手法在文学创作中的重要意义。关键词：菊花；象征主义；解读；女性意iiiB.A.Thesis: Deserted Chrysanthemums, Disillusioned Desire- Interpretation of Symbolism in The ChrysanthemumsAuthor: ZENG Xiaoyi1 Introduction Born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902, John Steinbeck set much of his writings in the Salinas Valley near San Francisco. Steinbecks lifelong interest in the mystery and beauty of nature began with his boyhood experience with animals, birds, trees and flowers which were abundant in and outside Salinas. Steinbecks father was a county treasurer. From his mother, a teacher, Steinbeck learned to love books. Steinbeck attended the local high school and worked on farms and ranches during his vacations. Between 1920 and 1926, he studied marine biology at Stanford University, but did not take a degree. Several of his early poems and short stories appeared in university publications. After spending a short time as a laborer and reporter in New York City for the American, Steinbeck returned to California. While writing, Steinbeck took odd jobs. He was apprentice painter, caretaker of an estate, surveyor, and fruit-picker. These life experiences enriched his writings. His most important writings were from his first-hand experience. His early writings were mostly about romantic stories. When he was as a watchman of a house in the High Sierra, Steinbeck wrote his first romantic book: Cup of Gold (1929). After that he wrote some other romantic books such as The Pasture of Heaven and To a God Unknown. His perfect reflections of the 1930s earned him Pulitzer Prize in 1940(The Grapes of Wrath), and in 1962, a Nobel Prize for Literature.The Chrysanthemums was written in 1934 and was included in Steinbecks only short novel collection The Long Valley. When it was published, this novel was well received by the readers and the critics. It was regarded as the most successful novel of Steinbeck and one of the greatest short novels in the world. As a male writer, Steinbecks works mainly focus on the poor-class people and female characters seldom appear in his works. In this novel, Steinbeck portrayed an unforgettable female character and revealed womens difficult position and hard destiny in the 1930s of America. Though the plot is simple and the narration is uncomplicated, Steinbeck depicted the mind world and the mental progress of a woman who lived in a society dominated by the men. 2 The Status quo of Research on The ChrysanthemumsIn the novel The Chrysanthemums Steinbeck successfully created several typical characters with an unusually narrative structure. One typical features of the novel was the usage of symbolism. The author Steinbeck successfully expressed his view by the employment of symbolism. Symbolism has great significance in The Chrysanthemums. However, most of the research done on The Chrysanthemums was through the analysis about its feminism and realism. 2.1 The relevant research about The ChrysanthemumsAs to the feminism, a female reader said that this novel presents a story about a female Elisa Allen from aspects of setting and character to explore the growth progress of Elisas personality and to find out the rich feminist meanings behind it. (郑玲玲，2006)Another writer said that in the short story, the famous American novelist John Steinbeck describes objectively the state of the existence of the heroine Elisa and the repression from the nature environment, phallus culture and sexual consciousness that Elisa receives as a female.（段艳丽，2007）Ecofeminists emphasizes the identity and the close relations between nature and female ,and think that the males oppression that the female bear is equal to the human civilizations oppression that nature has. In John Steinbecks The Chrysanthemum ,this theme is reflected by the description of Elisa Allens deep feelings of the chrysanthemums ,and Henrys and the tinkers attitudes towards them ,which has profound and lasting significance.( 刘红娥，2008)As to the realism，a scholar tries to do his paper to interpret the short story in light of Sigmund Freuds sex and psychoanalytical theory so that the readers can fully understand its theme.(冯瑞贞，2003)And another one believes that John Steinbeck explored hard into the social problems of his time and tries to represent them into his works. It is no wonder his works are mostly carried realism-this literary mode of writing that gives impression of recording and sometimes reflecting faithfully the actual life of the 1930s.(龙中莲，2009)According to LIU Ying and WU Lin, The Chrysanthemums, one of the most famous short fictions of the w ell - known American novelist , John Steinbeck, successfully depict s a woman frustrated by the reality. The contrasting descriptions reveal Elisas conflicting attitudes towards herself and society as w ell as the contradiction between her dream and the reality in the realization of self-value as a female in man-dominated society. The analysis of contrasting descriptions can help readers find out that the root of Elisas psychological struggle and continual restraint lie in the cognitive limitation to the female role by society.( 刘莹，2009) Finally, a scholar said that the theme of the short story bears its ambiguity and appeal for readers to explore further, which is closely related to its dramatic narrative mode, one that calls for readers active participation to seek more reasonable interpretations. The theme of this short story aims at revealing a tragic fact that females spiritual pursuits are totally ignored even objected by the surrounding world, and this also reflects the deep crisis of isolation and commitment existed in the human beings spiritual state. (孔瑞，2009)2.2 The motivation and feasibility of my studySince the publication of The Chrysanthemums, many readers have done much research on the feminism and realism. There is no doubt that symbolism plays an important role in the work. However, many readers just have done some researches on this point sparsely. Therefore, there is a lack of systematic analyses of symbolism in this novel and the deep reason of social background laid in symbolism. The use of symbolism is creative and changeable. Many readers may have different ideas on the same thing.Steinbeck employed symbolism many times in the work and had influenced many readers. How did Steinbeck use symbolism? Whats the symbolic meaning of each concept and object? These are the problems this thesis tries to solve.“Symbolism” is the theme of the study. The study is done through a deep analysis of the symbolism theory, the significance of symbolism in The Chrysanthemums and the influence of the use of symbolism in literature work.3 The Theoretical FoundationSymbolism GeorgWilhelmFriedrichHegel(1770-1831)wasafamousphiloso-pher of German. He made a definition about symbolism in his popular work The Methodology of Art History. He said that: “Generally speaking, symbolism is the external thing that directly emerges from the perceptual exploration. And such external thing is discussed superficially. There fore, we could divide two important factors in symbolism. One is the meaning which stands for some concept or object. The other is the conveying of the meaning which represents the perceptual existence. (黑格尔, 1996)In literature, symbolism may refer to the use of abstract concepts, as a way to obfuscate any literal interpretation, or to allow for a broader applicability of the prose to meanings beyond what may be literally described. Many writersin fact, most or all authors of fictionuse symbolism as rhetorical devices. Joseph, C. and James, J. for example, used symbolism extensively, to represent themes which applied to greater contexts in their contemporary politics and society.In John Bunyans Pilgrims Progress, for example, everything and everyone stands for something else. The protagonist Christian, to no ones surprise, stands for every Christian reader; his goal, the Celestial City, stands for Heaven; the places through which he passes on his way Lucre Hill, Vanity Fair, and the likestand for the temptations. Bunyan felt that Christian readers were likely to encounter on their journey to salvation. Even the names of Christians fellow travelers-Mr. Feeble-mind, Great-heart and the like-represent not individual characters but states of being.Other famous symbols are Melvilles great white whale in Moby Dick; Dantes journey into the underworld in The Inferno; and Coleridges albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. All these concrete objects or places carry within them a wide range of associations that stand for something so ineffable that it would spoil the magic to explain it. Symbolism, therefore, is an integral component of fiction, because it enriches the narrative by pulling its message down to the level of our unconsciousness and anchoring it there.4 The Symbolism in The Chrysanthemums Steinbecks life experience had great influence on his writing. The discrimination between sex and the unequal condition between different walks of people aroused great dissatisfaction and rebellion in Steinbecks heart. In this work, Steinbeck used symbolism many times and created heart-strike influence.4.1 The symbolic meaning in the natural scenery As a talented writer, Steinbeck never ignored the importance of the description of natural scenery. In The Chrysanthemums, there are vivid symbolic meanings in natural sceneries. 4.1.1 The symbolic meaning in the setting In The Chrysanthemums the first few paragraphs establish the setting of the short story, Steinbeck represented the readers the place where Elisa lived in. Its a place with grey fog, cold sunshine, yellow leaves, light windAll of these implies us that Elisa lived in an isolated and depressing place. In paragraph one, the Salinas Valley where Elisa and her husband lived is described as being closed off from the sky and from all the rest of the world by the high gray-flannel winter fog: The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot. (Steinbeck: 246) The fog in this valley was “grey” and was like a “lid”. The description of the fog symbolizes Elisas inner world. She lived in such an isolated place, so we can imagine how depressong she was. In such a boring environment, she was eager to communicate with the outside world. And thats why how easy she was cheated by the tinker later.The author goes on to describe: On the foothill ranches across the Salinas River, the yellow stubble fields seemed to be bathed in pale cold sunshine, but there was no sunshine in the valley now in December. The thick willow scrub along the river flamed with sharp and positive yellow leaves.(Steinbeck:247) Through the above descriptions of the valley, it can be conveyed that Salinas Valley is a site of isolation which builds a very repressive atmosphere of hopelessness, which is vital to reveal the storys characters and themes. The closed-in setting of the story helps to foreshadow how the main character Elisa feels physically and psychologically constrained and isolated, how she yearns for acceptance as female and for romantic love, and what a “dead” end her life will reveal itself to be.As to the yellow leaves: On the foothill ranches across the Salinas River, the yellow stubble fields seemed to be bathed in pale cold sunshine, but there was no sunshine in the valley now in December. The thick willow scrub along the river flamed with sharp and positive yellow leaves. (Steinbeck: 247)The yellow leaves was a symbol of sadness in many cultures. Steinbeck extended this symbol. Here, the yellow leaves symbolizes Elisa. Only fertile land can leaves be “sharp and positive”. Such leaves symbolizes the beauty of Elisa. But it is leaves after all， it also implies the sad ending of the story.4.1.2 The symbolic meaning in garden and fenceDiligently working in her garden, Elisa watched as men come and go, living their lives unconfined, wondering what if must feel like to have that freedom. Elisa Allen, working in her flower garden, looked down across the yard and saw Henry, her husband, talking to two men in business suits.(Steinbeck:247)That emotion is revealed as Elisa gazed at her husband talking with acquaintances, “she looked down toward the men by the tractor shed now and then.” As she tills the soil for her chrysanthemums Elisa tills the thoughts in her head. The garden she so desperately maintained represents her world. A world that will only flourish if nourished. Emotional nourishment and stimulation is what Elisa lacked and longed for. The garden is limited in space to grow and so is her marriage. The garden is safe, non-threatening and so is her world. The garden contains many different elements that make it what it is, although unseen, and if the proper nourishment is not given it will die, as with Elisa.Her only escape is through working in her garden, which is confined by a wire fence. Elisa started at the sound of her husbands voice. He had come near quietly, and he leaned over the wire fence that protected her flower garden from cattle and dogs and chickens. (Steinbeck: 248)The wire fence serves as a dual purpose to the garden. It keeps harm from Elisas precious chrysanthemums but gives view to its beauty. The fence represents Elisas marriage; allowing clear view of the world and what it has to offer but prevents tangibility. And the fence symbolizes a kind of gap between Elisa and the outside world- the world of men. 4.2 The symbolic meaning in th