On Henderson The Rain King's Inheritance Of And Transcendence Over Traditional Picaresque Novel

Picaresque novel, as a genre of narrative fiction, has a long history. Although more than four hundred years have passed since its first appearance in 1554 with the publication of Lazarillo de Tormes, it never loses its attractions either to readers or to writers. On the contrary, it has made its reappearance in a more vigorous and lively way by adapting the settings of different time and countries. In twentieth-century America, there came an abundance of picaresque novels written by J. D. Salinger, Ralph Ellison, Saul Bellow, Jack Kerouac and other prominent writers. The conventional picaresque form, combined with the subtle analysis of human being's living condition and spiritual crisis, has become one prominent feature of modern picaresque novel.In Jewish American writer Saul Bellow's literary works, the heroes drift everywhere out of different reasons, looking for a foothold in life. Bellow told the story of drifting again and again and the recurrent theme gradually found its best expression in the old narrative pattern—picaresque novel. Under Bellow's pen, both picaresque novel and picaro were endowed with new meanings. The picaro became a two-fold literary figure: the drifting picaro and the spiritual quester at the same time. Novels like The Adventures of Augie March (1953) and Henderson the Rain King (1959) contain salient picaresque features.In this thesis, the author does a close reading of the text of Henderson the Rain King on the basis of picaresuqe traditions and theories about picaresque novels, particularly the theories put forward by modern scholars Henry Sieber, Ulrich Wicks and Rowland A. Sherrill. The present author aims to analyze the theme and narrative pattern of the novel to prove that Henderson the Rain King not only inherits some basic characteristic of traditional picaresuqe novel but transcends over it, allowing more possibilities for modern themes and techniques.On one hand, Henderson the Rain King inherits some basic characteristics of traditional picaresque novel i.e. the first-person narration, the episodic structure and the characterization of the drifting picaro, etc. On the other hand, Henderson the picaro's escape from America, his adventures in the two African tribes and ultimate return are actually elevated to a spiritual quest and reveal the theme of this novel: alienated man's searching for the courage to face and live in this absurd and chaotic world by resorting to the primitive and mysterious place—Africa.Meanwhile, Bellow made innovations in picaresque narrative in the following aspects. Firstly, Bellow inserted many romantic elements into picaresque realism. Secondly, Bellow made innovations in the characterization of the central picaro and Henderson becomes a combination of action and thoughts, the archetype of Moses and Sisyphus. Thirdly, Bellow also used other narrative techniques like stream-of-consciousness, time montage and open-ending to make it a fabulous and thought-provoking picaresque novel. Therefore, Henderson the Rain King is no doubt a modern spiritual quest disguised in picaresque novel, adding a brilliant touch to the picaresuqe tradition.