1. A Hero’s Journey By: Chelsea Ahearn, Deanna Figgiani, and Brianna Bialecki

2. Henderson wasn’t your stereotypical bum. He inherited a significant amount of money after his father’s death which totaled up to 3 million dollars to be exact, after taxes of course. He was taller and bigger than most men, and was never seen without raggedy hair and was known for his uncleanliness. Henderson’s first wife Frances dumped him, but we won’t go too much into that..Now he has his second wife Lily, let us see how he’s doing with her…

3. Lily is entertaining some of her lady friends when Henderson enters in sweat socks and a red velvet dressing gown. The same gown that Henderson bought in celebration when his first wife, Frances wanted a divorce. Henderson also has on a red wool hunting cap and begins to wipe his mucus on his hands. He then starts to shake hands with all of Lily’s guests. To each of them he introduces himself, “I’m Mr. Henderson, how do you do?” Henderson then approaches Lily as if she is one of the guests and says, “How do you do?” You can imagine what the ladies are thinking…

4. It is a winter morning. Henderson and Lily are fighting about their tenants. Miss Lenox, the maid, is supposed to be preparing their breakfast. Henderson was so angry that he was hammering his fist into the table. Then Lily asks Henderson, “Where is Miss Lenox?” Henderson goes into the kitchen and finds Miss Lenox on the floor, dead. He believes that because of his rage she had a heart attack. Henderson does not tell Lily though. Instead he places a note on the maid that said “DO NOT DISTURB.” Lily was very upset.

5. After Henderson had placed the note on the maid’s skirt, he went across the road to her cottage. Henderson closely examined her cottage. He noticed her cat staring at him and he began to question himself. “How could I be blamed because my voice was loud and my anger so great?” Henderson then went inside the maids home where it had seemed as if her whole life was collected in rubbish.

6. Question for the class Has there ever been a time where you felt as if you were the cause of something bad? Something that had an effect on either your life and/or other’s lives around you? Feel free to share…

7. The Warning There were bottles, shopping bags, baskets full of buttons and china door knobs, and photographs everywhere. Henderson began to think.. “Oh, shame, shame! Oh crying shame! How can we? Why do we allow ourselves? What are we doing? The last little room of dirt is waiting” .. Then all of a sudden, a ghostly figure appeared before Henderson that greatly resembled Miss. Lenox She began to speak, “So for God’s make a move, Henderson, put forth effort. You, too, will die of this pestilence. Death will annihilate you and nothing will be remain, and there will be nothing left but junk. Because nothing will have been and so nothing will be left. While some thing still is now! For the sake of all get out. Get out and find what it is that you want. You will be visited by three spirits tonight at 12 am. These spirits will each reveal your past, your present, and your future. At the end you will need to change or you too will lie in that ‘last little room of dirt.’”

8. Without chance of questions the spirit of Miss Lenox vanished. Henderson was stunned but just thought he was hallucinating. However he took the mysterious presence as a warning. He returned home to Lily who was still weeping. Lily asks Henderson, “Why did you leave such a note?” He replies, “So nobody should move her until the coroner came.” Henderson then began to discuss with Lily the trip that his friend Charlie was taking to Africa. He suggested that he should go and Lily agreed. When it became night time Henderson still remembered what had happened earlier at Miss Lenox’s cottage. He grabbed a bottle whiskey and sat on the couch. Eventually Henderson passed out…

9. Henderson was still sleeping when all of a sudden… He was startled by the sound of numerous gunshots. Henderson looked around, but saw nothing. He then turned his head and looked at the clock. It was 12 am. Henderson laid back down for a second. Again the sound of a pistol rung through the house. This time when Henderson opened his eyes, his brother stood before him. Henderson was stunned and almost speechless. Dick then explained that he was merely a spirit and was there to show Henderson his past.

10. The First of the Three Spirits Dick leads Henderson on a journey throughout his past. He started showing Henderson the vacation in Plattsburg right before his death, Henderson noticed the fun him and his brother used to have. Right before Dick asked his friend to hold the pen, the ghost skipped to Henderson meeting Lily. The first night Lily and Henderson met was the night of the Christmas party and Henderson wore a blue suit that stuck out like a sore thumb. Lily offers Henderson a ride home where she professes her love for him for the first time. His brother then skips to Henderson and Lily laying in bed after the first time they made love, including when they go downstairs and come face to face with Lily’s mother for an awkward introduction. Then Dick shows Henderson threatening his life “I’m going to blow my brains out” when he knew Lily’s father committed suicide by shooting himself.

11. Finally, Dick shows Henderson the day that he drowned in the river. Tears fell from Henderson’s eyes. After Dick explained that he had to go now and that it was time for Henderson to meet the next spirit. Henderson did not want him to go, but eventually Dick vanished. Henderson found him self back on the couch again. He looked at the clock and it still said 12 am. Henderson began to question his sanity. Suddenly, a pig appeared next to the couch. Henderson began to freak out wondering how one of his pigs had gotten inside of the house. The pig began talking, which really freaked Henderson out. The pig told him to calm down and explained that he was the ghost of Henderson’s presenttime.

12. The Second of the Three Spirits Ghost of Christmas Present The pig brings Henderson back to the party that Lily held for her friends. He shows all the women gossiping about Lily and Henderson’s marriage. Lily’s friends think that Henderson does not even recognize Lily and that he still thinks he is married to his first wife, Frances. Then, Henderson is shown Lily crying later on that night. She is resentful of her and Henderson’s marriage. Next, the pig brings Henderson back to earlier in the day. He shows Henderson that the maid did not die because of him but because of old age. “It is not always all about you, Henderson”. The pig once again shows Lily weeping and resenting their marriage. Eventually, the pig vanishes and Henderson finds himself once again on his couch next to his empty bottle of whiskey.

13. Once again Henderson checks the clock. It is still 12 am. Finally, the final spirit appears. To Henderson’s surprise it is his father. His father begins to explain to Henderson that if he does not change he will end up in that room of dirt just like Miss. Lenox had warned. Henderson’s father then says he does not want Henderson to be like him and not have a relationship with his family.

14. The Last of the Spirits Ghost of Christmas Future His father shows Henderson what life will be like if he doesn’t change his ways. The first future is if he doesn’t go to Africa- Lily will file for a divorce, and have custody of their children. Henderson will be left alone and soon die of depression. The second future is if he doesn’t try to change in Africa- The Arnewi tribe will see him as a selfish man only trying to destroy their village for his own amusement and will be captured and stay in imprisonment until his death. Yet, he escapes and goes to the Wariri tribe where he cannot lift Mummah. This upsets Dahfu and forces Henderson to be exiled where he eventually dies out in the desert.

15. Question to the class… Has there ever been a time where you had to make an important decision that may affect your future greatly? How did you decide your ultimate decision? Has there ever been a time where you had to change your ways in order to succeed? What did you have to change, how did you do it, and was it worth it?

16. Henderson awakes In the end Henderson chose the second future and changed for the better. While in Africa he attempts to help the Arnewi tribe get out of their drought, but fails after blowing up their well when trying to get the frogs out, making the water pour out and soak up into the ground. Instead of giving up, Henderson goes to the Wariri tribe and proves himself to the king by lifting up Mummah when no others could. Thus, creating clouds in the sky and producing rain. He was then known as the rain king. After Dahfu’sdeath, Henderson returns to America with Dahfu’slion, becoming a lion himself personality wise…He changes in many ways. Being in Africa made Henderson learn how to love unconditionally and treat people with the kindness they deserve. Scrooge’s end of the journey, he finally becomes a hero.