象徵乃介於抽象與實體,內在與外在,無感與有感,無限與有限之間的重要
橋樑.在不同認知層次的解讀之下,單一象徵在獨特之時間和空間裡,將會
呈現多樣的變化,表達不同的存在意義與精神價值.本論文旨在探討象徵於
詹姆士.愛吉《 家有逝者》及《晨禱》兩部半自傳性質的小說中,如何突
顯故事主角抽象之信念及內在情緒起伏的重要性,並藉由象徵之觀點,探索
愛吉的小說世界裡,日常生活中人,事,物不凡的存在價值.第一章主要論述
「文化象徵」與家庭,機械,新聞和宗教等主題之間的互動關係.第二章重
點在「自然象徵」如何與主角心境上和精神上的轉折相互呼應.第三章從
「個人的象徵」談及羅夫斯(Rufus)和理察(Richard)在行為,想法,及意識
層面上的發展和成長.

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss how symbols and
symbolic actions function and relate to certain major themes in
James Agee's semi-autobiographical novels, A Death in the
Family and The Morning Watch. Based on the traits of symbols,
this thesis contains three chapters: cultural symbols, natural
symbols, and personal symbols. The first chapter mainly
focuses on the interrelation between cultural symbols and the
main themes of family, machines, journalism, and religion. The
second chapter discusses the connection between natural
phenomena and characters' inner emotions. The third chapter
centers on how personal symbols influence and reflect Rufus'
and Richard's developments and ways of thingking and behaving.
In brief, a symbolic approach to these works makes the
characters' state of mind and spiritual changes perceivable to
Agee's readers. Body language plays an important role in
showing love and humanity in A Death in the Family, while in
The Morning Watch, Richard's awareness is closely related to
his confrontation with religious symbols in the chapel and
natural symbols in the woods. Symbols speak for something
abstract in human existence. Sharing the same symbolic root of
humanity with Agee, we know that the characters, daily events,
and ordinary objects in his novels all symbolize certain
aspects of human reality. Here, the world of reality is the
world of symbols.