ABSTRACT

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) is known as one of the most famous novelists in the twentieth century. Depicted in simple, refined and understated style typical of Hemingway’s, the imagery in his works are endowed with profound symbolic connotations. Natural images abound in his works, such as “sea” in The Old Man and the Sea(1952), “forest” in The Sun Also Rises(1926), “the plain and the mountain” in A Farewell to Arms(1929), “hills” in Green Hills of Africa(1935), “rain” in “Cat in the Rain”(1925), “river” in “Big Two-Hearted River”(1924) and so on. Hemingway expressed his views on nature through these natural imagery. On one hand, he is an advocate of respecting nature and the nature-centered world, on the other hand, his writings sometimes illustrate his anthropocentric point of view that human should conquer nature.

This paper, based on a detailed discussion of the natural imagery in The Old Man and Sea, The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms and so on, explores Hemingway’s paradoxical views on nature, so as to achieve better understanding of his works and to gain some enlightenment to modern human civilization.

Key words：Ernest Hemingway; natural imagery; views on nature; paradoxical

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

1.1Brief Introduction to Hemingway, his Works and Influence-1

1.2 The Purpose and Outline of the Present Study-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Previous Studies on Hemingway’s Views on Nature-3

2.2 Inadequacy of Past Studies-4

2.3 Significance of the Present Study-5

Chapter Three THE SYMBOLIC NATURAL IMAGERY IN HEMINGWAY’S WORKS-6

3.1 The Symbolic Images of “sea” and “fish” in The Old Man and the Sea-6

3.2 The Symbolic Images of “cat” and “rain” in “Cat in the Rain”-7

3.3 The Symbolic Images of “forest” and “hills” in Green Hills of Africa-9

3.4 The Symbolic Images of “river” and “trout” in “Big Two-Hearted River”-9

3.5 The Symbolic Images of “rain”, “plain” and “mountain” in A Farewell to Arms-10

3.6 The Symbolic Image of “forest” in The Sun Also Rises-12

3.7 The Symbolic Images of “snow” and “mountain” in “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”-13

Chapter Four HEMINGWAY’S PARADOXICAL VIEWS ON NATURE-15

4.1 Respecting Nature-15

4.2 Conquering Nature-16

Chapter Five FORMATION OF HEMINGWAY’S VIEWS ON NATURE-17

5.1 Hemingway’s Personal Experience-17

5.2 Historical and Social Backgrounds of his Time-18

Chapter Six CONCLUSION-19

6.1 The Limitation of Hemingway’s Views on Nature-19

6.2 The Enlightenment to Modern Civilization-19

WORKS CITED-21