He sits in his father’s library counting inheritance money while the resounding “I want…, I want…, I want…” escapes from the protuberant mouth of Henderson. He is pompous and ever seeking to satiate his enormous appetite. Throughout the novel of Henderson the Rain King authored by Saul Bellow, there are profound mythological, religious, and ethical references that can be analyzed, criticized, and most significantly, simply acknowledged. However, the psychological complexities found entangled throughout Henderson’s journey umbrella many of the underlying themes. Specifically, Henderson can be directly described through a psychoanalytic psychology approach as per the timeless Sigmund Freud.
Named the “father of psychology”, Freud developed a series of theories that attempted to describe behaviors as a result of a working and thoughtful mind. One of the most significant of the theories is the development of the id, ego, and superego. This categorization of the mind constitutes the pre-conscious, unconscious, and conscious mind and aids in understanding the reasons behind behavior. The id is the “pleasure seeking” component of the mind. It is child-like, reacts to impulse, and is often unaware of the reacting consequences. The superego is the moralistic, logical, and idealistic aspect of the brain that focuses behaviors on what is humanly correct and acceptable. Finally, the ego acts as a mediator between the id and the superego in which the goal is to balance impulse and control to maintain a healthy and strong individual. Freud believed and imbalance of these components would result in a highly defiant or restrictively depressed person.
It is discovered within the first two chapters of Henderson the Rain King that Henderson relies solely on his id. He is constantly seeking pleasure and reacting on impulse and self indulgence. He looks to satiate his wants through money, his wife, and alcohol. With a flask as his side, Henderson often made snide remarks to his wife, Lily, consciously aware of the damage it caused her but never withholding his tongue. For example, Henderson is aware of the pain Lily encompasses when suicide is mentioned because of her father’s commitment to suicide. However, on more than one occasion, he comments “I’m going to blow my brains out! I’m shooting myself. I didn’t forget to pack the pistol. I’ve got it on me now.” This remark leaves Lily tearful and distraught though Henderson dismisses her and continues with his biography.
The relation of the id to Henderson continues throughout the novel as he travels to Africa. With the Wariri tribe, it appeared Henderson had the best of intentions when he attempted to rid the curse of the frogs that had been bestowed upon them. However, he impulsively built a bomb and without considering the entire dilemma of the contaminated water and the explosives possible repercussions, he destroyed the water berm and hastily left the tribe to suffer. Further, during the rain ceremony in the Arnewi tribe, Henderson felt the hot, impulsive sensations of “I want! I want!” again which resulted in his moving of the mountain woman and becoming the Sungo of the tribe despite the fact the king of the tribe warned him with the possible consequences it could bring.
Another key relationship that can be found between Henderson and Freud’s psychoanalytic approach to understanding human behavior is the notion of free association. Freud used free association as a therapeutic tool to help discover the unconscious mind and how it relates to observable behaviors. Freud used this psychodynamic tool to encourage his clients to speak uncensored and to verbalize any and every thought that reaches the mind. When used correctly, Freud believed it could lead to a discovery in self-purpose, understanding, and acceptance. The entire novel captures the tone of free association in which first person Henderson moves freely from thought to thought approached with a triggering situation. His thoughts are rapid, chaotic, and fragmented as he attempts to explain his past, his history, his family, and most importantly, his journey through Africa. It is only through these discombobulated thoughts that the reader can understand his personality and how a single man can influence the lives of many.
It was the goal of Freud to discover the unconscious and to develop and strong ego that can sustain the battle between the id and the superego. It was the goal of King Dahfu to speak with and teach Henderson about impulse control and conscious awareness of the body and mind. He served as an open communication outlet for Henderson to overcome his piggish qualities and establish a conscious and novel life viewpoint. Henderson the Rain King is a direct and linear account of a psychodynamic therapy session and the struggles of the unconscious and conscious mind and the ever present war between wanting and obtaining awareness for the greater community.
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