History Literature / HendersonTheRainKing

The book is written as if Henderson is the author because of the first-person narrative. He first gives out deeply personal details about himself (he’s 6’4”, weighs 230 pounds, a huge nose and mustache) and that he went on a trip to Africa to find some relief from his boredom with being happily married to a wife who never complains, a personal net worth of $3 million courtesy of his famous scholar father and having had lots of children. His trip to Africa proceeds to give him even more to ponder about the nature and complexity of human behavior and cultures.

'''Henderson the Rain King''' is a 1959 American [[UsefulNotes/Existentialism existentialist]] novel written by Saul Bellow that tells the story of 55-year old Eugene Henderson traveling to Africa in search of something that can appease him of his boredom from being so wealthy and "happily" married.

'''Henderson the Rain King''' is a 1959 American existentialist novel written by Saul Bellow that tells the story of 55-year old Eugene Henderson traveling to Africa in search of something that can appease him of his boredom from being so wealthy and "happily" married.

[[quoteright:260:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/henderson.jpg]][[caption-width-right:300:''I want, I want, I want'']]

* RichBoredom: Henderson is bored out of his mind by how much wealth he has, which was passed down to him by his father. In fact, Henderson never even had to work for a living to become rich. His net worth comes out to $3,000,000 after taxes.

* BlatantLies: Henderson's daughter Ricey after being accused of stealing a baby claims that it's her baby, though Henderson can tell that [[ACupAngst she only had breasts since last year]]. It also doesn't help that the baby is black while Ricey is a white woman.

* BlatantLies: Henderson's daughter Ricey after being accused of stealing a baby claims that it's her baby, though Henderson can tell that [[ACupAngst she only had breasts since last year]]. A mother who just recently had a baby should have breasts plump enough to produce milk.

Saul Bellow states this is his favorite book that he's written. When the book was first published it received mixed, dividing reviews from critics but today is acclaimed.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Henderson often refers to the audience as "you".

* ChickMagnet: Henderson becomes this the instant he moves the giant wooden statue of Mummah which the Wariri village's former weightlifting champion, Turombo, couldn't do.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Subverted. The people Henderson meet in Africa believe that you ''can'' tell a person's personality and character just by looking at them.

* CouldHaveAvoidedThePlot: The book often implies that Henderson could have avoided his RichBoredom and the voice screaming "''I want I want I want''" in his heart by having become a doctor in spite of already inheriting wealth from his father. Henderson has been mostly dormant and inactive most of his life because he didn't have to work to get rich.

* CoversAlwaysLie: Subverted. The people Henderson meet in Africa believe that you ''can'' tell a person's personality and character just by looking at them.

* {{Dystopia}}: The Arnewi village has been devastated by the frogs who invade the water and render it non-potable. It's so bad that the newborns cannot get any milk from either the cows or their own mothers.

'''Henderson the Rain King''' is a 1959 American novel written by Saul Bellow that tells the story of 55-year old Eugene Henderson traveling to Africa in search of something that can appease him of his boredom from being so wealthy and "happily" married.

* BlatantLies: Henderson's daughter Ricey after being accused of stealing a baby claims that it's her baby, though Henderson can tell that she only had breasts since last year.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Henderson finds his homeland, the United States, unable to continue giving him anymore excitement into his life which is what causes him to travel to Africa and stays there for most of the novel. But then he gets fed up with his adventure in Africa feeling it's too much for him and then he invokes this trope ''again'' to return back to the United States to start his life over again instead of staying as the Rain King.

* BigBeautifulWoman: The Arnewi people consider [[ChubbyChaser big women]] to be more attractive.

[[quoteright:260:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/henderson.jpg]] '''Henderson the Rain King''' is a 1959 American novel written by Saul Bellow that tells the story of 55-year old Eugene Henderson traveling to Africa in search of something that can appease a voice going on inside his heart that keeps telling him "''I want I want I want''"

* BigBeautifulWoman: The Arnewi people consider big women to be more attractive.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Henderson finds his homeland, the United States, unable to continue giving him anymore excitement into his life which is what causes him to travel to Africa and stay there for most of the novel.

Saul Bellow states this is his favorite book that he's written.

'''Henderson the Rain King''' is a 1959 American novel written by Saul Bellow that tells the story of 55-year old Eugene Henderson traveling to Africa in search of something that can appease a voice going on inside his heart that keeps telling him "''I want I want I want''"