I have read a number of books that have caused me to rethink the nature of social responsibility and the role an individual can play in bringing about positive improvements within society. These books fall within the general category of "anti-utopian novels" and include Fahrenheit 451(Ray Bradbury), 1984 and Animal Farm (George Orwell), Lord of the Flies (William Golding) and A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess). Each of these books, in its own particular way, challenges the belief in the perfectibility of society. And in doing so, each of these books raises questions about the limits of social reform (and of reform movements) in bringing about a fair and just social order. I will discuss how the ideas presented in one book, A Clockwork Orange have brought a healthy dose of critical skepticism to my own social and political thought.
Burgess" novel is set in a decaying city in a futuristic England. There are, however, actually two cities: "the daylight city" of the responsible citizenry, and "the city of night" ruled by drugs and violent street gangs. In an effort to halt the civic decay, the government institutes a criminal "rehabilitation" program. It is essentially a "behavioral modification" program, which uses aversion therapy in order to deaden the willpower of the criminal to act in a violent or unlawful manner. Central to the therapy is the forced exposure of the "patient" (the criminal) to films depicting repetitive acts of violence and brutality.
While being forced to watch these films, the "patient" is given a drug that induces nausea. Thus, through the therapy violence is associated with sickness in the "patient's" mind.
The story begins with the protagonist, Alex, and his fellow gang members going to the Karova Milk Bar where they get high on drug-laced milkshakes, which they do every night, before venturing out for an evening of robbery, rape, and assault. This night, Alex and his fellow thugs drive to the country where they break into the cottage of one, F.
A Clockwork Orange Authors who write of other times and places help us to better understand our own lives. Discuss A Clockwork Orange in terms of that statement. ... He is a walking robot conditioned by the government - a clockwork orange. ... "A Clockwork Orange" deals with moral judgment and the thought of taking it away from someone. ... The Clockwork Orange", what does the title mean? ...
A Clockwork Orange Authors who write of other times and places help us to better understand our own lives. Discuss A Clockwork Orange in terms of that statement. ... He is a walking robot conditioned by the government - a clockwork orange. ... "A Clockwork Orange" deals with moral judgment and the thought of taking it away from someone. ... The Clockwork Orange", what does the title mean? ...
Violence is the universal element in A Clockwork Orange. ... There is not just one function of violence in our lives, just as there is more than one function of violence in A Clockwork Orange. ... Clearly A Clockwork Orange, in comparison to violence of the present day, may be seen as harsh. ... Everything that happens in A Clockwork Orange happens everyday in our society. ... That is what A Clockwork Orange does and why it is perceived as so violent. ...
"A Clockwork Orange" is an anti-utopian novel, describing an imminent future in a stately supervised country. ... "A Clockwork Orange" confronts us with an anonymous, totalitarian country, as well as in "1984". ... But which warning does "A Clockwork Orange" imply? ... Firstly, "A Clockwork Orange" includes a warning against totalitarian state forms. ... In "A Clockwork Orange" the people feels threatened by growing criminality and for that reason elects an authoritarian party. ...
The novels, A Clockwork Orange and 1984 both represent a future dystopia. ... Irony and betrayal are devices used in both, 1984 and A Clockwork Orange. ... In A Clockwork Orange, the Ludvico Technique is used. ... This is similar to the Ludvico method in A Clockwork Orange. ... A Clockwork Orange also includes a warning against a totalitarian state. ...
He will be best remembered by his eighth novella, A Clockwork Orange. ... Burgess also plays with puns throughout A Clockwork Orange in order to add humor to serious situations and dialogues. ... The most principle theme of A Clockwork Orange involves the freedom of a man to choose between good and evil. ... Another very important theme in A Clockwork Orange is that of youth vs. old age. ... That is something that not many writers are able to do, which is why A Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite books. ...
- the opening line of Anthony Burgess" A Clockwork Orange, being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven. ... Burgess skilfully introduces us to his futuristic slang, or nadsat, making A Clockwork Orange valuable not only for the questions it raises, but also for its creative and experimental use of the English language in which we see hints of Russian. ...
Classical Conditioning in "A Clockwork Orange" The movie "A Clockwork Orange" is often described as one of the most disturbing films ever made. My question is what really disturbs them so much about this film, Is it the gratuitous sex and violence transparent throughout most of the film? Or is it...
An orange is ripe or not. ... There is a great use of orange and red in the set, perhaps used to represent the orange which can not be fixed. ... The title has two primary meanings: first, the basic meaning of the Cockney expression (not an example of rhyming slang, incidentally) "as queer as a clockwork orange", something that on the surface was normal, but inside was artificial and unnatural. ... This particular clockwork orange is human on the surface, but inside is no such thing. ... An orange cannot be "repaired!" ...
When Anthony Burgess wrote A Clockwork Orange, John Anthony Burgess Wilson created his own world set in London during a future time when gangs and violence are rampant on the streets, "which is his own particular vision of horrors yet to come." ... This particular brand of literature stressed the overly pessimistic view of human nature and featured, as was presented in A Clockwork Orange, violence as well as the dark areas of human behavior and society. ...
