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I was
twelve, as I recall, and a good friend of mine kept talking about this
book he’d
found at the library. “It’s called Tropic of Cancer, and it’s got
all kinds
of swearing and sex and stuff like that in it. You just gotta
read it, man. It’s
awesome!” My interest was piqued, and I immediately got
on my bike and rode twelve
blocks to the local library to see for myself.
Picture, if you would, the
1930s. This is a real period piece, void of any sugary coating, any attempt to pretty up
the thoughts and words of the people who lived through this time. Upon reading Miller’s
classic, it’s easy to see how such a book could have been banned for over sixty years
(although, for the record it’s not a practice I condone). Within the first ten pages of
the book, every single unsavory, crass, rude, offensive, and sexually depraved expression
is used (some of which were even new to me) in the same flashy, in-your-face manner that
can be observed in any modern rap video. In fact, the entire first chapter is a censor’s
worst nightmare (and a wonderful example of freedom of expression).
Once
you get past the language (assuming that you want to get past it at all), it’s easy to
see why generations of readers have sought this book out. It’s a combination of
Hemingway’s The Sun
Also Rises and Salinger’s The Catcher in the
Rye. It’s a novel about a moody, anti-social, anti-hero,
writing in poverty,
with drunks and hookers and bums, in Paris in the ’30s. Does it get any cooler than
that?
Tropic of Cancer explores the themes of heartache, jealousy,
poverty, depression, angst, and rampant sexuality. It’s an ode to everything unsavory,
but
romantic nonetheless with all the red wine binges and cigarette-soaked,
artist-infused conversations a person could possibly hope for. It’s as close as an
individual can come to actually smelling a Parisian back-alley without being there in
person.
Essentially, if you want to see how far the envelope can be
pushed—or if you feel
like being shocked by a text that’s more than seventy years
old—then read this incredible novel for yourself. One caution though: if you’re the type
of reader who needs a well-defined plot—that is to say a plot that’s complex, about spies
and espionage or military intelligence, with twist after shocking twist and loads of
action, developing into a brilliant climax that will blow your mind—then this is not at
all the book for you. But, if you’re the type of reader who enjoys a character-driven
plot filled with interesting views (and expressions!) about the nature of life, love, and
the rest, then be sure to check out what you’ve been missing all this time.
