47 pages • 1 hour read
Henry MillerTropic of Cancer
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1934A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Tropic of Cancer, Henry, an American expatriate and aspiring writer living in Paris, navigates a life of poverty, relying on the kindness of friends while aspiring to create meaningful literature. His days consist of philosophical reflections, interactions with various eccentric characters, and struggles with employment, ultimately leading to moments of brief success and deeper introspection. The source text contains depictions of antisemitism, anti-Black, anti-Chinese, and anti-Indian/anti-Hindu stereotypes and language, as well as instances of misogynistic language, domestic abuse, and alcohol abuse.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller is both celebrated and criticized. Positively, readers appreciate its raw, unfiltered portrayal of bohemian life and innovative narrative style. Negatively, some find its explicit content and misogynistic undertones troubling. Its fragmented structure and explicit prose generate divided opinions, marking it as a polarizing classic in literature.
Who Should Read Tropic of Cancer?
A reader who enjoys Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller likely appreciates candid, semi-autobiographical fiction that explores bohemian life and existential themes. Comparable to readers of Jack Kerouac's On the Road and James Joyce's Ulysses, they are drawn to unfiltered narratives and complex, introspective protagonists.