Henderson the Rain King: Formalist Criticism

NAME JEREMIAH FOONG KANG YI MATRIX NUM. D20111047679 FACULTY LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION PROGRAM TESL PROGRAM CODE AT 06 SEMESTER 3 SESSION 2012/2013 COURSE LITERARY CRITICISM COURSE CODE BIS 3023 GROUP B ASSIGNMENT CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON HENDERSON THE RAIN nance LECTURER MR. SEVA BALA SUNDARAM A/L A. M MARIAPPAN For this brisk, I will be critically analyzing it using two theories, namely the Formalist comment (which is also known as New Criticism) and Reader-Response Criticism.The reason I choose both(prenominal) these criticism theories are because I personally opine that these two theories can realistically reflect our beholds on the literature read as readers. By the Formalist Criticism approach, I will firstly provide a plot summary of Henderson the fall queen. Henderson the Rain queen regnant was written by Saul Bellow in the year 1959. In this novel, Saul Bellow names his main character, or also known as the protagonist, Eugene Henderson. Eugene Henderson is depict, in this novel, as a troubled, middle-aged man. He is physically attributed with a large body frame, a handless loud voice, and ossesses great physical strength. Contradictory to his struggling smell, his family background is one which is rather wealthy. Eugenes father was a famous author and he leftover him three mil social lion dollars when he passed. He is not at all amazed neither pleased with the life he has been living all the objet dart and plans to heed his inner voice and go out to search for a better life, which he believes, lies in Africa. Before leaving for Africa though, he tried legion(predicate) ways to satisfy his weird calls by playacting the violin, drinking, and shouting at his wife.He carried on with his plan to Africa with his friend Charlie Albert and his wife. He however set off to move on his own upon finding a pampered travelling style Charlie practices. Eugene meets the Arnewi tribe and tries to help to settle their drinking problem which was caused by a frog plague at the bottom of their drinking well. Eugene failed to help when he blasted the frogs together with the well. It only make the situation worse. Eugene went on to meet the Wariri tribe with Romilayu and becomes the Sungo, or precipitate king, when he goldbricks a heavy idol during the rain down ceremony.Later on, the elders sent Dahfu to find a lion which is supposed to be the reincarnation of Dahfus later(a) father. As he fails and is killed, Eugene is supposed to be crowned the King as he is the Rain King, the next King in line. Eugene does not desire to be king, and flees from Africa back to his own home. Eugene finds that it is only by love that he had gained all these while when he reflects on his relationship with Smolak the bear in Ontario and his relationship with the strip boy on the plane back to the United States. The novel consists of twenty-two chapters of roughly equal length. through with(predicate)out the novel, flashbacks are used as a major gene of. In the early stages of the novel, more precisely, in the first three chapters of the novel, Hendersons reminiscence about his motives for departing for Africa. The setting in this novel is considerably uniform, however, throughout the entirety of the report card, settings such as Europe, Connecticut, and New York are scattered randomly around. It is noticeable that the subsequent chapters are set in Africa, where intimately of the plot of the story develops. Through flashbacks, Eugene re envisions his place of origin and time periods from his earlier life.Literary tools such as foreshadowing and cliffhangers are used to keep the reader flipping through the pages eagerly for more. Generally, throughout the most major parts of the story, the setting is held in Africa, in the mid-1950s. Scenes from Connecticut, New York City, and Europe during the Second World War are intermittent when Hendersons rambling narratives admit place. Actions which take place in Africa are mostly he ld in the Arnewi and Wariri tribes. The African plains show up once in a while when Henderson and Romilayu wander through the African desert. However, a major part of the story takes place in the Wariri tribe.At the denouement of the story, Newfoundland is also included in the setting of the story, where Henderson touches down from the plane. Physical settings aside, symbolic spiritual settings are also widely included in the novel. A touch of pre-human quality in the landscape and a tinge of nestlinghood memories Henderson had is depicted through the beautiful slight pink in the sky and the sharpness of the rocks surrounding the Wariri village, respectively. Also, by and by deplaning from Newfoundland, Henderson is said to be walking on ice. This icy-setting shows that Henderson has clearly made his escape from Africa and has started his life anew.Hendersons word choice in the narration of the novel is of great interest to the readers as he makes reference to the Bible unheedin g of how informal and colloquial his style is. However informal his style is, though, historical events and psychological theories are explained in a rather offhand albeit knowledgeable method. The flashy description of his narration is made up of detailed explanations made possible through visuals and audio. The inability of Henderson speaking in the native African language makes it complicate as Romilayu and Dahfu are required to translate for him directions and advices made on the barren land of Africa.The appearance of African words such as grun-tu-molani appeal to our minds and memories potently and further enhances the elaboration of the African culture. For this novel, the third person crest of view is used. In this case, the third persons point of view is the point of view of Eugene Henderson. A conversational and more intimate approach is applied in the narration in the story. Examples which show this are As you can see for yourselves, these are all impossible answers ( HRK 133) and Ill tell you why (HRK 7).The entirety of this novel is told as if Henderson reminisces about his journey to Africa, and also the will and events which led up to his finale to go to Africa. Dialogues are noticeable in some parts of the novel, but the essence and the message of the story is generally brought to the readers by Hendersons descriptions and inner monologue. The characters who appeared in Henderson the Rain King are as follows. The main character in the story is Eugene Henderson. Even when Henderson is the main character in the story, he is the anti-hero of the novel. Character-wise, he is a bumbling man, always angry and is confused.His physical attributes are big, shocking appearance, and possesses great strength. Hendersons father leaves behind 3 million dollars. Henderson had conjoin twice and has tail fin children. He was stubborn and pushed on for combat duty even when he was declared to be too old for it. He got injured by a land mine during the Secon d World War and received the Purple Heart upon his return. Henderson owns a pig farm but deep down inside, he ambitions to be a doctor. Henderson is constantly plagued by a voice that says I want. He tries various activities and hobbies which he hopes are able of relieving his unknown desire.He tries playing the violin, drinking, and even shouting at his wife. When none of these methods seem to make any effect on satisfying his weird and unknown desire, he goes on to visit Africa with Charlie Albert and his wife. He was fifty five. Upon realizing Charlies travelling style which he thinks is too contemporary and boring, Henderson leaves with Romilayu to visit the Arnewi tribe. He attempted to solve the Arnewi tribes hindrance which was the infestation of frogs in their drinking well by bombing the frogs. Instead, he bombed and wrecked the whole drinking well.Regretful and sad, Henderson left for the Wariri tribe with Romilayu. Most of the plot of the story develops from here. Hender son is crowned Sungo, the Rain King, after creation able to lift a heavy idol during a rain ceremony in the Wariri tribe. Henderson was supposed to be the Kings successor after Dahfus passing. However, Henderson did not want to be King and escaped from Africa to live a complete new life back in the United States. Frances Henderson is Hendersons first wife. Frances is, as described by Henderson, tall, handsome, elegant, and sinewy. Frances was married to Henderson just to please Hendersons father.Henderson once told Frances of his dreams of becoming a doctor. His ambitious dreams was revoked and laughed at by Frances. Lily Simmons Henderson is Hendersons second wife. She is known throughout the story as only Lily. She has a sweet face, fair, and large. Lily is not prone to scolding. Instead, she moralizes. Lily had married twice before she got married to Henderson. She had previously married a man from Baltimore and an abusive broker from New Jersey who is named Hazard. In the story , Henderson describes Lily as one who is not very clean, a liar, and a con-artist.Edward Henderson is Henderson and Frances eldest son. Edward can be considered as Hendersons pride as Edward is clean-cut and smart. Edward drives around in a undimmed sports car. Henderson always believed that Edward would not get a lover. One day, Edward brings home a girl from Honduras and proclaimed to Henderson that he loves her. However, Henderson chose not to believe it. Ricey Henderson is Henderson and Frances eldest daughter. She is pretty. Ricey takes a child from the backseat of a car one Christmas and is eventually expelled from boarding school. Alice Henderson is Hendersons youngest daughter with Frances.The twins are Hendersons two children by Frances. Charlie Albert is to Eugene Henderson, a childhood friend. They both attended dancing classes together in the year 1915. Charlie is a year younger than Henderson and also a bit richer than him. Charlie was once a cameraman in the army. Hen derson was Charlies best man at his wedding. Charlies wife resented Henderson because Charlie forgot to kiss his wife at the wedding. Henderson joined Charlie and his wifes honeymoon trip to Africa in the first part. Dick Henderson is Eugene Hendersons older br other(a). Dick dies in a rather tragic and ridiculous way.He was shooting a broken fountain compile with his pistol and got engaged in a chase by the police. He crashed his car in an embankment during the chase and jumps into the river. Dicks cavalry boots got filled with piddle when he jumped into the river and Dick drowned. Dick was considered by Eugene as the sanest of us. Klaus Spohr is the artist who paints Lilys portrait. There was once when Klaus and Lily observed Henderson kiss Clara, Klaus wife, passionately. indemnify Spohr is the cousin of Klaus Spohr. He is the dentist who replaces Hendersons bridgework.Romilayu is Hendersons guide and translator in Africa. Romilayu tells Henderson that he is in his late thirti es. However, he looks wrinkly and much older. presently Christian, he shows signs of tribal living in his past as he has tribal scars on both his cheeks and ears. He is a patient companion to Henderson. The Arnewi kin group are the fist tribe Henderson visits in Africa. They are loving and warmly welcomed Hendersons visit. They were suffering from a drought and their cattle are dying. They are control by Willatale. Iteloo is a prince of the Arnewi tribe. He learned English in Beirut with Dahfu.He loses to Henderson in a wrestling match even when he equalizes him physically. Willatale is Itelos aunty and the queen of Arnewi. She is a Bittah, which means she is the most revered in the tribe and has husbands as well as wives. She has cataract in one eye and wears a lion skin as a robe. Henderson describes her as a happy woman, stable, and goodness natured. Mtalba is the queens sister and also is a Bittah woman. She is beautiful and pampered looking with anil hair but is obese. She proposes to Henderson in their traditional way but rejects him when he blows up their well.The Wariri tribe is the second visited tribe by Henderson in Africa. Henderson becomes the Rain King of the Wariri and a close friend to their King, Dahfu. Dahfu is the kin fog the Wariri tribe. Dahfu studied in a medical school but had to return to his dying father in the Wariri tribe. Dahfu impresses Henderson with his charm and philosophy. King Dahfu keeps a lion named Atti and trains him. He dies while trying to capture his father-lion Gmilo. Horko is the uncle of King Dahfu and the man sent to meet Henderson on the day of the rain festival.Horko speaks some English and French because he traveled with Dahfu when he studied abroad. The Bunam is the head priest of the Wariri tribe. The Bunam believes that Henderson can lift the idol during the rain ceremony. Henderson believes that the Bunam communicated to him to encourage him to lift the idol without needing to talk to him. Turombo is the strong Wariri man who lifted Hummat at the rain ceremony. He was misunderstood as one who is shadowed by his past as he did not lift Mummah. It is learned later on in the story that Turombo did not want to lift Mummah because he understands the danger in being a rain king.Queen Yasra is Dahfus mother and also the widow of Gmilo. She believes the words of the Bunam who said that Atti represents power of an evil sorceress. Therefore, she begs Henderson to make Dahfu get rid of Atti. The executioner is confederate to the Bunam in the Wariri tribe. He has a narrow face and leathery appearance. He was dressed in white on the day of the lion hunt and guards King Dahfus corpse after he passed. Gmilo is Dahfus father and the former king of the Wariri tribe. Another approach to analysing this novel will be the Reader-Response Criticism.The Reader-Response Criticism is based on what the reader feels and perceives about the story after reading the piece of literature. As a reader, I was quite fazed and taken aback when I read the beginning of this story. I was shocked at how unsettled Henderson was even when his father had left behind him such a large quantity of money. I think Hendersons pursuit of happiness and the meaning for life is strong and objective. Henderson is to me a steadfast person and does not get swayed easily by external factors. What makes me feel pitiful towards Henderson is when he was trying to help the Arnewi tribe out by killing the frogs.His intention started out as a good one but ended as an act which displeased the Arnewi tribe. It was lucky for him that Itelo did not kill him after such an act because Itelo is his friend. There is a point in the story which I do not agree with the narrator himself. He had seen such bitterness in the Wariri tribe since the first day he got there. He did not have any good moments to savour. The only acceptable moments are when King Dahfu shared with him some philosophy and ways of life. This interests Henderson and us, the readers, but other than that, all the other happenings are bitter.Therefore, it is quite illogical that Henderson did not choose to escape in the earlier part of his visit to the Wariri tribe. However, this is only my view and opinion. Generally, this novel has raised my awareness in issues such as the pursuit of meaning in life and the pursuit of happiness. At the end of the story, Henderson realizes that what he has been button after all this while is love. This is a story worth reading and telling as it bends the human mind into different concaves of perception to what is worth going after, what is worth our pursuit, and what is worth holding on to.Bibliography 1) Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow. (2000). Retrieved from http//www. bookrags. com/studyguide-henderson-the-rain-king/ 2) Bellow, S. (1976). Henderson the rain king. NY Penguin Books. 3) Dobie, A. B. (2011). Theory into practice An introduction to literary criticism. Boston, MA Cengage Learning. 4) 50 Plus One Great Books You Should Have Read And Probably Didnt. Retrieved from http//books. google. com. my/books? id=HPDqaTLKOEECpg=PA194lpg=PA193dq=%22Henderson+the+Rain+King%22as_brr=3ie=ISO-8859-1output=htmlredir_esc=y