Abstract: The Jungle Book, Kipling’s most influential novel, is an animal novel. Many vivid animal images such as wolf pack, brown bear, panther, snake, tiger and monkey play an important role in showing the theme and Kipling’s opinions. This thesis aims at revealing Kipling’s values, real opinion on life and imperialism and helping readers understand the novel’s cultural connotation deeply through analyzing the symbolic meanings of animals in the Jungle Book together with Kipling’s life background. It concludes that Kipling’s opinion of empire was an ideal outlook on society and life. He is not the spokesman of the empire but the seer of the fate of imperialism.

Key words:the Jungle book; Kipling;animal images; symbolic meanings

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction.1

1.1 The Introduction to Kipling

1.2 The Introduction to The Jungle Book

1.3 The Introduction to Symbolism

2. The Symbolic Meanings of Animals in The Jungle Book.3

2.1 Mowgli’ s Wolf Families

2.1.1 Wolf Pack: Collectivism and Team Spirit

2.1.2 Wolf Parents : Responsibility and Love

2.1.3 Wolf Brothers: Unity and Brotherhood

2.1.4 Old King Wolf: Leadership and Courage

2.2 Mowgli’ s Friends

2.2.1 Brown Bear: Justice

2.2.2 Panther: Loyalty

2.2.3 Snake: Mighty and Friendliness

2.3 Mowgli’ s Enemies

2.3.1 Tiger: Absolutism and Hegemonism

2.3.2 Monkeys: Lawlessness 

3.Kipling’s Outlook 

3.1 On Empire

3.2 On Life

4. Conclusion.12

Bibliography. .14

Acknowledgements15