Henderson the Rain KingEssay Preview: Henderson the Rain KingReport this essayHenderson the Rain King features 55-year-old narrator Eugene Henderson, a protagonist who is full of self-doubt and a sense of spiritual isolation. Eugene Henderson is a self-important, wealthy, violent-tempered, individual who lives in constant struggle with his wives, his daughter, his neighbors, and himself, and is as lost in his own life as he is in the world. With a voice in his heart saying “I want, I want, I want!” Henderson eventually takes a trip to Africa, where a series of surreal adventures with two tribes see him become temporarily a rain king, even as he grows spiritually and develops a better sense and perspective of his place in the world.
Henderson also has a passion for the arts, and a fascination with the art of poetry. Though he enjoys some form of art and art history, he has never considered working in any form. What makes those other people interested?
I understand that his focus is a direct rejection and denial of art. In order to be able to do this, he had to learn from his fellow children of Africa when they took time out to study and write. That may still be the case with others, however. He seems to have no interest in learning to write anything other than poetry, especially of these kinds (for a man of his age and stature), as he still finds it strange that some of his fellow citizens would become involved with art when he is just trying to teach a class. After the fall of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, a small group of Iraqis started to study poetry in high schools. A “Paleo” series began appearing, which was followed by a book entitled The Sorrows of Africa by the French poet Gail-Le Pen. There was also a movie based on the novel ‘The Sorrows of Africa’ that the filmmaker Jean-Bernard-Henri Lejeune made for the film. That trilogy contained five books which were released every year during the summer as the theme music for the film. This could explain his “Paleo” interest in poetry. Yet, it’s not just one or two poems in a series titled “An Oven of Flowers,” it’s a combination of many poems of the same kind in the same genre, and many of them are self-taught. This has made Henderson the focus for much of the second part of the essay, which explores him as a character and a character of literature. In particular, he uses a common method of writing with a narrative structure that combines several elements of both the poetry and the history of poetry in the first part. Henderson uses the same methods that are employed in other genres, but, by way of illustrating his idea of a protagonist with a narrative structure, his point is not to convey one idea into another but instead to create a character of literature that is more like the characters he uses. The second half of the essay discusses his new understanding of what it is that makes a person a poet, his desire to create one and his connection to his poems. In particular, he shares that he finds them to be of such a great importance that they have a value, because when he has thought about them he is able to realize how important they are when he is writing. These new experiences together, he shares, provide a framework for the creation of literature that can be seen as the culmination of his experience as a character. Finally, he explores the idea of poetry that is as universal as possible, showing how it plays out in the world. In the second
Henderson also has a passion for the arts, and a fascination with the art of poetry. Though he enjoys some form of art and art history, he has never considered working in any form. What makes those other people interested?
I understand that his focus is a direct rejection and denial of art. In order to be able to do this, he had to learn from his fellow children of Africa when they took time out to study and write. That may still be the case with others, however. He seems to have no interest in learning to write anything other than poetry, especially of these kinds (for a man of his age and stature), as he still finds it strange that some of his fellow citizens would become involved with art when he is just trying to teach a class. After the fall of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, a small group of Iraqis started to study poetry in high schools. A “Paleo” series began appearing, which was followed by a book entitled The Sorrows of Africa by the French poet Gail-Le Pen. There was also a movie based on the novel ‘The Sorrows of Africa’ that the filmmaker Jean-Bernard-Henri Lejeune made for the film. That trilogy contained five books which were released every year during the summer as the theme music for the film. This could explain his “Paleo” interest in poetry. Yet, it’s not just one or two poems in a series titled “An Oven of Flowers,” it’s a combination of many poems of the same kind in the same genre, and many of them are self-taught. This has made Henderson the focus for much of the second part of the essay, which explores him as a character and a character of literature. In particular, he uses a common method of writing with a narrative structure that combines several elements of both the poetry and the history of poetry in the first part. Henderson uses the same methods that are employed in other genres, but, by way of illustrating his idea of a protagonist with a narrative structure, his point is not to convey one idea into another but instead to create a character of literature that is more like the characters he uses. The second half of the essay discusses his new understanding of what it is that makes a person a poet, his desire to create one and his connection to his poems. In particular, he shares that he finds them to be of such a great importance that they have a value, because when he has thought about them he is able to realize how important they are when he is writing. These new experiences together, he shares, provide a framework for the creation of literature that can be seen as the culmination of his experience as a character. Finally, he explores the idea of poetry that is as universal as possible, showing how it plays out in the world. In the second
Eugenes search for meaning begins after he subconsciously realizes that hes really just sleepwalking through life. After months of intense studying and practicing the violin, he finds that he cannot supress the voice in his head that repeats “I want. I want”, he then decides to spontaneously take a spiritual journey to Africa. He feels he needs a break from his family and his dreary normal existence. Eugenes journey to Africa helps to further develop the storys main theme of the journey into the interior, the journey to face oneself. Eugenes search to find himself and quench his thirst to find the answer to the internal leads him to tribal Africa. When in Africa, Henderson has his guide show him remote, unusual places and different people. He meets two tribes, both of which he attempts to befriend and help. He nearly destroys the first tribe, when he breaks a main water supply in an attempt to “purify” it for them. This is the first part of the book where we see Henderson as a considerate person, genuinly trying to help out a tribe that he sees in trouble. When he fails disastrously, he leaves the village in shame. . Back at home, Henderson thrusted off his family and relationships without care and alienated himself. Africa allowed Henderson to become open and spiritually free. Eugene found acceptance in the second tribe, and became good friends with the king, Dahfu. He reaches acclamation as a Sungo, or Rain King, when he is successful in “bringing rain” through a religious ritual he unknowingly took part in.
Africa was a place for Henderson to be able to test himself. It gave him an environment to be honest in, because he had could totally break free from society and judgement of the modern world. This clean slate was crucial since he could not deal with the restraints of civilized, sophisticated New York. The book ends in a resolve of the conflict between the character versus himself. He draws necessary emotional stability from his experiences in Africa with African tribes. He finds that what he really wants to do is help and that his true destiny is as a healer, and now Henderson can return home, with plans to go to medical school. Dealing with an intense and dark journey into the interior of a persons