Tropic of Cancer

In her preface to Tropic of Cancer, Miller’s longtime friend and lover Anaïs Nin writes of the novel, “The book is sustained on its own axis by the pure flux and rotation of events. Just as there is no central point, so also there is no question of heroism or of struggle since there is no question of will, but only an obedience to flow” (xxxii). Analyze the novel using Nin’s proclamation as a starting point. Think about what she might mean by “axis” and “rotation of events” and consider what a text might look like without a “central point.”

Analyze Henry’s feelings about America as they develop throughout the novel. What does he seem to like and dislike about America? Do you think he wants to return? Cite evidence from the text to support your view.

What literary or stylistic element do you think is most important to Tropic of Cancer’s voice and structure? Think about metaphor, hyperbole, irony, satire, parody, and nonlinear narration.

Analyze the novel’s treatment of geopolitical events. To what extent does it pay attention to things like World War I, the Great Depression, or the rise of fascism in Europe in the early 1930s? If you believe that it entirely ignores these events, what might that say about Miller’s feelings about the relationship between literature and politics?

Compare and contrast Henry’s platonic male friendships and his romantic or sexual entanglements with women. How are these types of relationships depicted throughout the novel?

Choose a scene in which a person of color appears and analyze it. What does the passage imply about the novel’s larger treatment of racial and ethnic difference?

A number of writers are referenced throughout Tropic of Cancer, but Walt Whitman is particularly important. What do you think his presence adds to the novel? What does Miller seem to appreciate most about Whitman’s work? Cite specific examples.

In an early (and famous) line, Henry says, “I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive” (1). After reading the entire novel, analyze this sentence. Does it ring true throughout the rest of the narrative? Think about concepts like consumption, ownership, wealth, and privilege and how they are related to happiness and contentment.