Tropic of Cancer

by

Henry Miller

Collins Character Analysis

Collins is an American sailor with family money who, along with Fillmore, befriends Henry. The three of them become drinking buddies, culminating in a raucous weekend in Le Havre. Different women’s jealousy over Collins instigates a massive barfight in which Collins participates. Collins also hints to his friends at one point that he is homosexual. At the end of the weekend, the three say a bittersweet farewell, as Collins plans to visit his home in Idaho before another long sailing voyage. Henry alludes to some disaster befalling Collins that prevented his return home, but the details are never revealed.

Collins Quotes in Tropic of Cancer

The Tropic of Cancer quotes below are all either spoken by Collins or refer to Collins . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Literature and Artistic Freedom Theme Icon
).
Pages 150-167 Quotes

It's best to keep America just like that, always in the background, a sort of picture post-card which you look at in a weak moment. Like that, you imagine it's always there waiting for you, unchanged, unspoiled, a big patriotic open space with cows and sheep and tenderhearted men ready to bugger everything in sight, man, woman or beast. It doesn't exist, America. It's a name you give to an abstract idea...

Related Characters: Henry Miller (speaker), Fillmore , Collins
Page Number: 167
Explanation and Analysis:
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Collins Quotes in Tropic of Cancer

The Tropic of Cancer quotes below are all either spoken by Collins or refer to Collins . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Literature and Artistic Freedom Theme Icon
).
Pages 150-167 Quotes

It's best to keep America just like that, always in the background, a sort of picture post-card which you look at in a weak moment. Like that, you imagine it's always there waiting for you, unchanged, unspoiled, a big patriotic open space with cows and sheep and tenderhearted men ready to bugger everything in sight, man, woman or beast. It doesn't exist, America. It's a name you give to an abstract idea...

Related Characters: Henry Miller (speaker), Fillmore , Collins
Page Number: 167
Explanation and Analysis: