Issue 151

Cult Book Classics: A Clockwork Orange

29th January 2007

A Clockwork Orange is a fantastic read about the concept of free will. Now, I probably just made the book sound like some sort of philosophical text, but there are moral questions posed in the novel about ethics and freedom.

We have the teenager Alex, who enjoys violence, rape, and theft. One night when betrayed by his friends and left for the police, Alex finds himself imprisoned for murder.

During his sentence, he finds the opportunity to be released by participating in an experiment that consequently makes him ill when confronted by any sort of violencephysical or mental.

The question then arises on whether or not a human being should have the ability to choose, rather than be immobile and defenceless like a machine. Alex is considered "cured" after his treatment, but is the cure necessarily good?

Be aware of this book's frequent use of slang. It is blend of Russian and Cockney that is referred to as Nadsat. Some editions provide a dictionary or you could find it online. Do not let the language turn you off- -you'll soon pick it up. The language is one of the things that make this book unique, but the story is a gripping read where you first loathe Alex, but then once thrown into the world after the treatment, you almost pity him.

In this book, author Anthony Burgess criticizes aversion therapy treatment and the government that protects itself through bribery when things go wrong. He also balances things out and shows a human side of Alex by revealing his intelligence and love for classical music.

Readers see a boy stripped of free will and then are left questioning what was better for him. Should he have remained his sadistic self able to choose, or should he have been treated thus rendering him incapable of performing anything violent? To quote Burgess, "Eat this sweetish segment or spit it out. You are free."

Christina Dore