| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| Abstract | 第6-9页 |
| 中文摘要 | 第9-11页 |
| Introduction | 第11-19页 |
| Research Purpose | 第11-13页 |
| Literature Review | 第13-14页 |
| Research Project | 第14-17页 |
| Research Originality | 第17-19页 |
| Chapter One McPherson's Life and Writing Career | 第19-27页 |
| ·McPherson's life | 第19-20页 |
| ·McPherson's Writing Career | 第20-27页 |
| ·McPherson's First Book-Hue and Cry | 第21-22页 |
| ·Elbow Room-Pulitzer Prize Wining Works | 第22-25页 |
| ·Literary Silence-Breaking Memoir | 第25-27页 |
| Chapter Two Theoretical Basis Adopted in the Research | 第27-32页 |
| ·Major Themes of Symbolism | 第27-28页 |
| ·Symbol | 第28-29页 |
| ·Symbolism and Symbol | 第29-30页 |
| ·Symbolic Approach to the Novel | 第30-32页 |
| Chapter Three Symbolism in Gold Coast | 第32-51页 |
| ·Janitorial Career-A Journey of Self-Awareness | 第32-35页 |
| ·Symbolic Setting-The Building | 第35-40页 |
| ·Gold Coast as the Symbol of Barren Land | 第36-38页 |
| ·Gold Coast as the Symbol of Visible Dominant White Culture | 第38-40页 |
| ·Symbol of Invisible White Dominance-Johnny Carson Show | 第40-41页 |
| ·Symbolism of the Characters | 第41-46页 |
| ·What is Other | 第42-43页 |
| ·Symbol of the Castration of Other Culture | 第43-46页 |
| ·Symbolism of the Relationship between Robert and James | 第46-51页 |
| ·Fulfillment of Mutual Need | 第46-47页 |
| ·Conflicts | 第47-49页 |
| ·Mutrual Understanding and Reconciliation | 第49-51页 |
| Chapter Four Cultural Identity Reflected in Gold Coast | 第51-61页 |
| ·Dilemma of African-American Culture | 第51-55页 |
| ·African-American's Cultural Identity | 第55-56页 |
| ·Cultural Identity Crisis | 第56-59页 |
| ·Black Face,White Soul-The White Cultural Identity | 第57-58页 |
| ·Distorted Black Heart | 第58-59页 |
| ·McPherson's Quest for Cultural Identity | 第59-61页 |
| Conclusion | 第61-63页 |
| Bibliography | 第63-65页 |
