Henderson the Rain King: Formalist Criticism

NAME JEREMIAH FOONG KANG YI MATRIX NUM. D20111047679 capability LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION course of instruction TESL PROGRAM CODE AT 06 SEMESTER 3 posing 2012/2013 billet LITERARY CRITICISM COURSE CODE BIS 3023 GROUP B assigning CRITICAL ANALYSIS ON HENDERSON THE peltingf any down KING LECTURER MR. SEVA BALA SUNDARAM A/L A. M MARIAPPAN For this novel, I leave foot be critically analyzing it using two theories, viz. the Formalist Criticism (which is also known as unused Criticism) and subscribeer-Response Criticism.The sympathy I choose both these check theories atomic number 18 because I soulfulnessally speak out that these two theories can realistically shine our views on the literature read as readers. By the Formalist Criticism approach, I bequeath firstly provide a biz summary of Henderson the pelting mightiness. Henderson the fall power was written by capital of Minnesota Bellow in the year 1959. In this novel, capital of Minnesota Bellow names his chi ef(prenominal) caliber, or also known as the protagonist, Eugene Henderson. Eugene Henderson is depicted, in this novel, as a troubled, middle-aged worldly concern. He is physically attri stilled with a large body frame, a bollocks loud vowel system, and ossesses considerable physical strength. contrasted to his struggling conduct, his family background is mavin which is alter aboriginally wealthy. Eugenes produce was a noneworthy author and he left him collar mil king of beasts dollars when he passed. He is not at all amazed incomplete pleased with the animateness he has been existent all the era and plans to heed his privileged voice and go out to face for a better life, which he conceptualizes, lies in Africa. Before leaving for Africa though, he assay numerous counsels to satisfy his unearthly calls by playing the violin, drinking, and shouting at his married woman.He carried on with his plan to Africa with his friend Charlie Albert and his wife. He howeve r set off to trip on his own upon finding a pampered travelling way of life Charlie practices. Eugene meets the Arnewi commonwealth and tries to befriend to settle their drinking problem which was caused by a frog pestilence at the bottom of their drinking well. Eugene failed to help when he blasted the frogs together with the well. It merely coif the situation worse. Eugene went on to meet the fightiri kinsfolk with Romilayu and becomes the Sungo, or rain king, when he abducts a heavy beau ideal during the rain ceremony.Later on, the elders displace Dahfu to find a lion which is suppositional to be the reincarnation of Dahfus late(a) father. As he fails and is killed, Eugene is so-called 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 and finished love that he had gained all these while when he reflects on his relationship with Smola k the abide in Ontario and his relationship with the orphan son on the plane back to the united States. The novel consists of twenty-two chapters of roughly equal length. by and throughout the novel, flashbacks atomic number 18 used as a major(ip)(ip) element of. In the premature stages of the novel, more(prenominal) precisely, in the first tether chapters of the novel, Hendersons reminiscence about his motives for departing for Africa. The setting in this novel is considerably uniform, however, passim the entirety of the story, settings such as Europe, Connecticut, and young York be scattered randomly around. It is broad that the subsequent chapters ar set in Africa, where most of the plot of the story develops. Through flashbacks, Eugene re call downs his shopping center of origin and time periods from his antecedent life.Literary tools such as foreshadowing and cliffhangers ar used to keep the reader flipping through the pages eagerly for more. Generally, througho ut 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 instauration War argon intermittent when Hendersons rambling narratives take place. Actions which take place in Africa ar mostly held in the Arnewi and Wariri kinsfolks. The African plains show up at a time in a while when Henderson and Romilayu swear through the African desert. However, a major part of the story takes place in the Wariri tribe.At the denouement of the story, Newfound cut back is also included in the setting of the story, where Henderson mentiones down from the plane. Physical settings aside, symbolic spiritual settings are also wide included in the novel. A touch of pre-human quality in the landscape and a tinge of childhood 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 deplanin g from Newfoundland, Henderson is said to be walking on ice. This icy-setting shows that Henderson has clearly do his escape from Africa and has started his life anew.Hendersons word choice in the narration of the novel is of great sake to the readers as he makes reference to the record book regardless of how informal and colloquial his style is. However informal his style is, though, historical events and psychological theories are explained in a sooner offhand albeit knowledgeable method. The jazzy 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 complicated as Romilayu and Dahfu are required to translate for him directions and advices made on the barren land of Africa.The appearing of African spoken language such as grun-tu-molani appeal to our points and memories difficultly and further enhances the refinement of the African culture. For t his novel, the third person tip of view is used. In this case, the third persons taper 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 communicate 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 decision to go to Africa. Dialogues are noticeable in about parts of the novel, but the essence and the inwardness 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 huffy and is conf used.His physical attributes are big, shocking appearance, and possesses great strength. Hendersons father leaves behind 3 million dollars. Henderson had married twice and has five-spot 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 Second World War and received the Purple Heart upon his return. Henderson owns a pig farm but buddy-buddy down inside, he ambitions to be a doctor. Henderson is constantly plagued by a voice that says I indispensableness. He tries versatile activities and hobbies which he hopes are able of relieving his mysterious desire.He tries playing the violin, drinking, and even shouting at his wife. When none of these methods seem to make all effect on satisfying his preternatural 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 b oring, Henderson leaves with Romilayu to visit the Arnewi tribe. He attempted to drub the Arnewi tribes difficulty which was the infestation of frogs in their drinking well by bombing the frogs. Instead, he bombed and wrecked the intact drinking well.Regretful and sad, Henderson left for the Wariri tribe with Romilayu. more or less of the plot of the story develops from here. Henderson is crowned Sungo, the Rain King, laterwards being able to lift a heavy perfection during a rain ceremony in the Wariri tribe. Henderson was supposed to be the Kings heritor after Dahfus passing. However, Henderson did not postulate to be King and escaped from Africa to rattling 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 driven dreams was revoked and laughed at by Frances. Lily Simmons Henderson is Hendersons indorsement 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 in advance 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 hopeful sports car. Henderson always believed that Edward would not get a lover. One sidereal day, Edward brings home a female child 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 develop. 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 bounce classes together in the year 1915. Charlie is a year younger than Henderson and also a bit richer than him. Charlie was once a camera operator in the army. Henderson was Charlies best man at his wedding. Charlies wife resented Henderson because Charlie forgot to osculate his wife at the wedding. Henderson joined Charlie and his wifes honeymoon trip to Africa in the first part. dent Henderson is Eugene Hendersons ripened brother. Dick dies in a rather tragic and ridiculous way.He was shooting a broken fountain pen with his side arm and got engaged in a follow by the police. He crashed his car in an embankment during the chase and jumps into the river. Dicks horse boots got filled with water when h e 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 snog Clara, Klaus wife, passionately. Doctor Spohr is the cousin of Klaus Spohr. He is the tooth doctor who replaces Hendersons bridgework.Romilayu is Hendersons guide and adapter in Africa. Romilayu tells Henderson that he is in his late thirties. However, he looks wrinkly and much older. shortly 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 Tribe are the fist tribe Henderson visits in Africa. They are loving and warmly welcomed Hendersons visit. They were execrable from a drought and their cattle are dying. They are ruled by Willatale. Iteloo is a prince of the Arnewi tribe. He learned English in Beirut with Dahfu.He loses to Henderson in a grappler match even when he e qualizes him physically. Willatale is Itelos aunt and the nance of Arnewi. She is a Bittah, which manner 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 good natured. Mtalba is the queens sister and also is a Bittah woman. She is beautiful and pampered looking with indigo tomentum cerebri 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 coterminous friend to their King, Dahfu. Dahfu is the kin fog the Wariri tribe. Dahfu study in a medical school but had to return to his dying father in the Wariri tribe. Dahfu impresses Henderson with his charm and doctrine. King Dahfu keeps a lion named Atti and trains him. He dies while exhausting to capture his father-lion Gmi lo. 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 up 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 bring up Hummat at the rain ceremony. He was construe 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 henchman to the Bunam in the Wariri tribe. He has a specialise face and leathery appearance. He was spruced up 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(prenominal) 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 interpreted aback when I read the setoff of this story. I was shocked at how perilous Henderson was even when his father had left behind him such a large summation of money. I think Hendersons seeking 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 out-of-door factors. What makes me feel pitiful towards Henderson is when he was laborious to help the Arnewi tribe out by killing the frogs.His intention started o ut 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(prenominal) 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 separated 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 sentiency in issues such as the pursuance of meaning in life and the hunt of happiness. At the end of the story, Henderson realizes that what he has been press release after all this while is love. This is a story worth reading and relative as it bends the human mind into different concaves of perception to what is worth tone ending 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 instauration to literary criticism. Boston, MA Cengage Learning. 4) 50 prescribed One Great Books You Should Have Read And Probably Didnt. 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