Tropic of Cancer Characters

Ginette is a woman who traps Fillmore in a romantic relationship that eventually leads to marriage. Unattractive and with poor prospects, she preys on Fillmore’s guilt to get him to marry her, despite their constant domestic quarrels. At Henry’s urging, Fillmore spontaneously flees her and returns to America.

Yvette is Ginette’s friend and romantic rival; her jealousy over Fillmore leads her to slander Ginette to Henry.

Tania is a member of Henry’s Parisian scene and Sylvester’s romantic partner. Henry lusts after her and they have extended affairs at different points.

The Borowskis are a wealthy elderly couple in Henry’s Parisian scene. Like almost all of Henry’s friends, they are Jewish.

Sylvester is a member of Henry’s scene in Paris and Tania’s official partner, which stokes Henry’s jealousy. A tedious Marxist, Sylvester eventually leaves for the Soviet Union with Tania in tow. He stays there when she returns.

Moldorf is a member of Henry’s circle in Paris.

Elsa is a maid at Boris’s whom Henry seduces, despite Boris’s requests that he not do so. Immediately afterward, she feels used and laments how men have used her in the past.

Germaine is a prostitute whom Henry was very fond of for her fun-loving demeanor and lack of pretense.

Claude is a prostitute with whom Henry once had a relationship. Henry likes her but finds her melancholy and intelligent disposition undesirable in a prostitute, compared to Germaine’s unabashed outspokenness.

Serge is a Russian who puts Henry up for a night with the hope of English lessons in return, but Henry leaves him without holding up his end of the bargain.

The Young Hindu is an envoy from Gandhi’s political movement in India. In Paris, he gives various speeches, and Nanantatee asks Henry to look after him. Henry takes him around to brothels.

Bessie is a friend of Van Norden’s and his female equivalent in terms of brazen sexual appetite and frankness. Van Norden has been trying to sleep with her for years, but she’s only amused by the idea and playfully rejects him.

Marlowe is an acquaintance of Henry’s whom Henry and Carl run into on a night out. Marlowe is drunk and offers them the opportunity to take over his literary review, which he must abandon as he’s returning to America.

Kruger is a painter interested in esotericism, who takes Henry in when Henry has nowhere to go. He eventually kicks Henry out.

Mark Swift is a painter who grows sick of his fiancée once her inheritance is gone and cruelly lampoons her in his paintings. He later paints Henry’s portrait.

Macha is a self-proclaimed Russian princess who lives with Fillmore and Henry for a period, while Fillmore is trying unsuccessfully to sleep with her. Her behavior is erratic, and her tales of her past are dubious.

Kepi is Nanantatee’s friend, who is tasked with showing Hindu visitors around Paris. He’s always looking to squeeze a few bucks or a scrap of food out of everyone, and he’s constantly searching for a new sexual partner.

Eugene is a Russian friend of Henry’s. For a period, Henry lives at Eugene’s apartment along with Eugene’s wife and a number of other people scraping by. Eugene plays the guitar during every meal.

Anatole is another Russian friend of Henry’s. Together they live with Eugene and Olga.

Olga is a physically grotesque Bulgarian woman who has just been dismissed from the hospital when Henry meets her. She lives with everyone at Eugene’s and provides for everyone there with her meager income from making shoes, which she persists in despite her medical ailments.

Irene is a rich, slightly older woman whom Henry helps Carl seduce by mail. When Carl has misgivings, Henry offers to take his place.

Peckover is a coworker at the newspaper who dies after falling down the elevator shaft, prompting bogus sympathy from the higher-ups.