If Henry had been a child in our times rather than his (he died in 1977 as an old man), he would probably have never been a child slave as an orphan on a farm where he was institutionalized. He probably would have been diagnosed with some disorder or psychological problem, which there is far too much of going on these days, and medicated, maybe out of his creativity.
Fortunately none of these things happened. Instead he lead a simple and isolated life and became a secret writer and artist.
Henry Darger worked as a hospital janitor but when he was at home he was writing and painting. When he died in Chicago his landlady discovered 300 paintings, some over 10 feet long, and 15,000 page illustrated novel called THE REALMS of the UNREAL.
Clearly his childhood experience of being in an asylum for the "feeble - minded" had deeply effected him, as the story is about slave children. Seven angelic sisters lead a rebellion against child-enslaving godless men.
Henry went to church every Sunday of his life, though he struggled with religion. Interestingly his paintings illustrate this world which we could argue, he lived in, and invented.
Linking to more information from PBS DARGER - FILM - PBS
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