Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller
The novel follows the protagonist's journey to Morocco, where he becomes disillusioned with Western culture and seeks a more authentic experience. He encounters various characters, including a group of intellectuals who are struggling with their own identities and sense of purpose. As the protagonist navigates this new environment, he grapples with his own feelings of alienation and disconnection from society. He begins to question the values and norms of Western culture, and seeks a more primal and instinctual way of living. The novel explores themes of identity, morality, and the search for meaning in a post-war world. It is a semi-autobiographical work that draws heavily on Miller's own experiences as an expatriate in Morocco.
By Henry Miller · First published 1939 · Genre: Autobiographical Fiction, Modernist Literature, Erotic Literature · 4 chapters · 149,985 words
First lines
ONCE you have given up the ghost, everything follows with dead certainty, even in the midst of chaos. From the beginning it was never anything but chaos: it was a fluid which enveloped me, which I breathed in through the gills. In the sub-strata, where the moon shone steady and opaque, it was smooth and fecundating; above it was a jangle and a discord. In everything I quickly saw the opposite, the contradiction, and between the real and the unreal the irony, the paradox. I was my own worst enemy. There was nothing I wished to do which I could just as well not do. Even as a child, when I lacked for nothing, I wanted to die: I wanted to surrender because I saw no sense in struggling. I felt that nothing would be proved, substantiated, added or subtracted by continuing an existence which I had not asked for. Everybody around me was a failure, or if not a failure, ridiculous. Especially the successful ones. The successful ones bored me to tears.
What this Textopian page supports
Tropic of Capricorn is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry Miller, dated 1939 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Henry Miller
- Date: 1939 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Autobiographical Fiction, Modernist Literature, Erotic Literature, Philosophical Fiction, Social Criticism
- Length: 149,985 words
- Structure: 4 chapters, 911 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Genres
- Autobiographical Fiction — The book is a fictionalized account of the author's own life experiences, blending real events with imaginative elements.
- Modernist Literature — The narrative style and structure reflect modernist techniques, including stream of consciousness and non-linear storytelling.
- Erotic Literature — The book contains explicit sexual content and explores themes of sexuality and desire.
- Philosophical Fiction — The narrative delves into existential themes and philosophical reflections on life and society.
Tags
Autobiographical · Experimental · Stream-of-consciousness · Nihilistic · Existentialist · Philosophical · Psychedelic · Surrealist · Erotic · Obscene · Taboo-breaking · Anti-conformist
Contents
- CHAPTER 1
- CHAPTER 2
- An Interlude
- Coda