- 1
How do poverty and sex interact with one another throughout the novel?
Poverty in Tropic of Cancer emphasizes the selling of bodies as a consequence of destitution. The poor, having nothing else to offer, must sell their bodies for survival. This is highlighted when Henry is paid with sex instead of money or food for his writing.
The contrast between the rich and the poor is evident when Van Norden, merely due to his job, receives free sex while Henry loses his commission. Even in their impoverished state, Henry and his friends can acquire sex, even if they have to pay for it from their meager resources.
- 2
How does art contribute to Henry's personal renewal?
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