Henderson The Rain King by Saul Bellow follows the classic hero's journey monomyth structure of departure, initiation, and return to transform the main character. Henderson's call to adventure occurs when his housekeeper dies, leading him to realize he must leave his old life behind. He departs for Africa in search of meaning. There, he finds mentors in Willatale and Mtalba who guide him as he evolves throughout various initiation trials. The story exemplifies common steps of the hero's journey seen in other fictional works to develop Henderson's character during his quest.