Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction.1

  1.1 Introduction to Jerome David Salinger.1  

  1.2 Introduction to The Catcher in the Rye1

  1.3 Literature Review.3

  1.4 Structure of the Thesis4

Chapter Two Ecological Criticism and Ecological Literature.5

  2.1 Definition of Ecological Criticism.5

  2.2 Definition of Ecological Literature5

Chapter Three Salinger’s Ecological Life8

  3.1 Salinger’s Ecological Consciousness.8

  3.2 Holden’s Imagination of Nature.9

Chapter Four Causes for Holden’s Returning to Ecological Nature.13

  4.1 Natural influence on Holden13

4.1.1 Holden’s weakness and Honesty.13

    4.1.2 Holden’s Love and Dedication13

  4.2 Environmental influence on Holden .14

4.2.1 Undemocratic Family Life14

4.2.2 Distorted School Life15

4.2.3 Dark Society Life15

Chapter Five Conclusion.17

References.18

Abstract

 Jerome David Salinger (1919 years ~2010 years) is an influential writer in the American literature after World War II and his book The Catcher in the Rye is one of the most popular novels of the 20th century. This paper tries to interpret The Catcher in the Rye, which is written by Jerome David Salinger, a famous contemporary American writer, from the point of ecological criticism to point out that Salinger was a noted writer with the mind of ecological philosophy. He fully expressed his attention and thinking to the relationship between man and nature, the society after the war and spiritual ecology by exploring a teenager’s inner world yearning for return to childhood and back to nature. 

    This thesis discusses the dirty and filthy environment that Holden, the protagonist in Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye in to reflect the highly developed social material civilization and the rapidly declined spiritual civilization of the United States after World War II. Thereby it can exhibit the impetuous and restless thought of the contemporary People, and express the desire of the innocence of childhood and the hope to guard this piece of free, happy and pure land.

Key words:  The Catcher in the Rye  Salinger  Holden  Ecological Criticism  Nature