A Clockwork Orange Essay Research Paper AnthonyBurgess

A Clockwork Orange Essay, Research Paper

`Anthony

Burgess has been heralded as one of the greatest literary geniuses of the

twentieth century. Although Burgess has over thirty works of published

literature, his most famous is A Clockwork Orange. Burgess’s novel is a

futuristic look at a Totalitarian government. The main character, Alex, is an

"ultra-violent" thief who has no problem using force against innocent

citizens to get what he wants. The beginning of the story takes us through a

night in the life of Alex and his Droogs, and details their adventures that

occupy their time throughout the night. At fifteen years old, Alex is set up by

his Droogs-Pete, Dim, and Georgie-and is convicted of murder and sent to jail.

At the Staja or state penitentiary, Alex becomes inmate number 6655321 and

spends two years of a sentence of fourteen years there. Alex is then chosen by

the government to undergo an experimental new "Ludovico’s Technique."

In exchange for his freedom, Alex would partake in this experiment that was to

cure him of all the evil inside of him and all that was bad. Alex is given

injections and made to watch films of rape, violence, and war and the mixture

of these images and the drugs cause him to associate feelings of panic and

nausea with violence. He is released after two weeks of the treatment and after

a few encounters with past victims finds himself at the home of a radical writer

who is strongly opposed to the new treatment the government has subjected him

to. Ironically, this writer was also a victim of Alex’s but does not recognize

him. This writer believes that this method robs the recipient of freedom of

choice and moral decision, therefore depriving him of being a human at all.

These themes are played out and developed throughout the entire novel. Alex

eventually tries to commit suicide and the State is forced to admit that the

therapy was a mistake and they cure him again. The last chapter of the novel

which was omitted from the American version and from Stanley Kubrick’s film

shows Alex’s realization that he is growing up and out of his ultra-violent

ways on his own. He realizes that he wants a wife and son of his own and that

he must move up and on in the world.Anthony

Burgess was born John Anthony Burgess Wilson on February 25, 1917 in

Manchester, England. He spoke eight languages, not including English. Burgess

was a composer of music since the age of sixteen years. He taught himself how

to read music and how to play the piano. The inspiration for A Clockwork Orange

came while during World War II, when his wife was assaulted while he fought.

She died about a month after the incident from internal bleeding, along with their

unborn child, who was killed during the assault. He compensated by releasing

his anger into A Clockwork Orange, in which a scene takes place that mirrors

the traumatic incident. Anthony Burgess died at seventy-six, November 25, 1993

of cancer (Cohen). The

novel’s main theme deals with free choice and spiritual freedom. Anthony

Burgess expresses his view that no matter how "good" one’s actions

are, unless one has free moral choice, he is spiritually damned (Malafry). The

novel revolves around one criminally minded teen, Alex, whose world consists of

rape, murder, and ruthless violence. Alex is eventually set up by his

"droogs" (friends) and is arrested and jailed. After some time in

jail, Alex is placed in a new rehabilitating program that uses electro-shock

therapy, new medicines, and exposure to violent film. The program breaks all

that Alex holds dear and builds him up with a new artificial conscience. This

part of the novel presents the reader with a new, reformed Alex, an Alex

without free will or freedom of choice; and Alex that has become a victim.

Burgess considers this lack of freedom to be spiritually murderous and terribly

wrong. Burgess knows that it is better to choose to be evil, than to be forced

to be good (Kris). Alex is tormented by his new state of oppression. He is

incapable of making any choice; and he must always do that which is good. Alex

is then taken under the wing of a writer who is fighting the oppressive

government. The writer greatly publicizes the oppressive rehabilitation the

state put Alex through. But Alex is still tormented by his lack of choice. He

becomes so tormented that he even attempts suicide. While Alex is in the

hospital following his suicide attempt, the tragedy of his oppression is highly

publicized. In an attempt to stop public criticism, the state "fixes"

Alex. He once again has freedom of choice. Burgess believes that totalitarian

governments take away one’s individual choice and therefore suffocates his or

her soul (Hausey). The state in A Clockwork Orange is a general parallel to any

overly oppressive or totalitari

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