"What's it going to be then, eh?" (A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess)

Member Name: carly_pussycat

Product:	A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
Date:	29/05/04 (1018 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thought provoking, Interesting adaptation of language

Disadvantages: Seems hard to get into at first, Might be too distressing for some readers

I remember catching the second half of the film adaptation of 'A Clockwork Orange' when it was on TV a couple of years ago and finding it really interesting: so when I saw it in my Amazon book 'recommendations' list I thought it might be worth a read and promptly purchased it.


PLOT SYNOPSIS

Alex, 15, is our protagonist and Humble Narrator (as he refers to himself). It is immediately evident that he is an out-of-control teen: at night he roams the streets with his friends; kicking, beating, mugging and raping innocent members of the public. Not only is he ?in with the wrong crowd?; he is the LEADER of such a crowd. He positively adores violence; a fact which his parents are only ever so slightly aware of. Adults (including Alex?s parents) are afraid to go out on the streets after dark due to the presence of gangs of violent teenagers.

Alex and his friends enjoy their reign of terror over the city until one night he becomes over-confident. He thinks he can trick his way into an old lady?s house to do as he pleases; beating her and taking her belongings. He does break in and he does do exactly as he pleases but little did he know that upon her first suspicion the old lady had phoned the police who then promptly turned up to transport Alex to the State Jail.

It is soon revealed that the old lady died as a direct result of the attack; but this provokes no sympathy from cold, heartless Alex. He is subsequently sentenced to serve fourteen years in the State Jail.

Alex - now known only as 6655321 - survives two years in jail; involving himself in various scraps and disagreements: generally illustrating that he hasn?t changed one iota. He carries out one horrific act, but one that I shall not reveal here as it does come as a sma
ll surprise which I wouldn?t want to spoil!

However, after two years in the rotten, overcrowded jail Alex decides that he has had enough. He jumps at the vague suggestion of the new ?Ludovico?s Technique? without having the slightest idea what he might be subjecting himself to; but overjoyed because it guarantees his release in a mere fourteen days as opposed to twelve years.

The technique, he is told, involves sitting and watching films. Oh, our dear Alex cannot believe his luck. Fourteen days until his release and just a few films to watch in the mean time? He?s got off easily! Or has he?

Unsuspecting Alex is injected with what he believes to be vitamins to strengthen him up and then has all his limbs securely strapped to a chair and his eyes clipped open. Still, he does not realise what is to follow: a plethora of horrific films depicting scenes of extreme violence, pain and suffering (but films that he would have heartily enjoyed in his previous state of mind). However, on this occasion he feels strongly nauseous, deeply distressed, and within minutes is begging them to stop the films.

This treatment continues for the allotted fourteen days, at which point Alex is deemed ?cured?. He then participates in a stage show whereby all the important members of the State Jail staff come to observe him wincing at even the mere thought of inflicting pain on others.

Alex is now released as a completely free man, and although the violence and suffering has all but ceased I believe it is the final section of the book that is most interesting; but I don?t believe in plot-spoilers so I shan?t share it with you here!



MY ANALYSIS

First of all, I MUST start with Nadsat. For those that haven?t heard about it, it is the slang ?language
? the teens adopt in the book. As the book is narrated from Alex?s viewpoint, the entire book is written in Nadsat. It begins ?there was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, Dim being really dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar making up our rassooducks what to do with the evening, a flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.? As you can see, some of the words are rather bizarre and after reading the first page a few times did wonder whether I would ever finish the book. However, as you read a couple more pages you come to realise that you don?t really need to know the exact meaning of the word because you can derive its meaning from the context in which it is set. Some of the Natsat words come directly from Russian, some from slang, and others Anthony Burgess simply invented.

Once you conquer (and begin to enjoy) the Natsat, the story can begin; and that story sounds slightly too familiar for comfort: members of the public don?t feel safe on the streets after dark for fear of becoming victims of street crime.

The entire book features descriptions of extreme violence, most of which are rather disturbing. However, it is not so much the violence that is disturbing but the pleasure that Alex and his gang take in inflicting it. There is not the slightest bit of remorse for their actions for they appear to revel in others? pain.

When Alex is attacking one old man in his house he sees a novel that the man was writing entitled ?A Clockwork Orange.? Mockingly, Alex opens the book and reads, ?- The attempt to impose upon man, a creature of growth and capable of sweetness, to ooze juicily at the last round the bearded lips of God, to attempt to impose, I say, laws and conditions appropriate to a mechanical creation, against this I raise my sword-pen ??. It is interes
ting that Alex should notice this in the house, as what becomes of him in the State Jail mirrors exactly the sentiments of the Clockwork Orange described above. It allows the reader to explore the underlying theme of the whole book: free will ? should it be enforced; or chosen?

This theme reappears during Alex?s residence in the State Jail when he encounters the prison chaplain. The fundamental flaw of Ludovico?s Technique is that is removes the CHOICE of freedom from the individual; the chaplain expresses his concerns, ?The question is whether such a technique can make a man good. Goodness comes from within, 6655321. Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man.? For me, this was a real eye-opener and very interesting potential topic of debate. Of course the government would want Alex to leave prison a reformed character because it makes them look successful, but should that happen naturally through Alex?s free choice; or should it be enforced upon him because he refuses to be ?good??

Alex is a undeniably a thoroughly despicable character but as he is the narrator of the book I feel a certain closeness to him and cannot help but feel a slight pang of sympathy for him when he experiences this ?imposed goodness? of Ludovico?s Technique. Although Alex?s enjoyment comes from inflicting pain on others it does make you wonder what right we have to impose certain rules of behaviour on others. If it is natural for us to behave one way and them another, who says that our way is ?right??

I liked the way the book was divided into three parts: Part 1 ? Alex and his gang terrorising the streets, Part 2 ? Reclamation treatment (Ludovico?s Technique) in the State Jail and Part 3 ? Alex?s release from jail and ultimate choice. This created
an clever feeling of suspense because each ?Part? concluded at a crucial stage of Alex?s development and when you saw that the next page began the next part you knew that something very interesting was about to happen.

Throughout all three parts of the book there is repetition of the question, ?What?s it going to be then, eh?? and although it relates to different things each time it binds the book together beautifully. I also like to think that it might be a voice coming from a higher being asking Alex the underlying question of whether he will ultimately choose to be ?good? or ?bad?.



CONCLUSION

I am quite surprised that I managed to watch half of this film, because if it was half as violent as the book is then it must be a fairly disturbing film and I am quite squeamish when it comes to watching violence on screen. The book is a sinister, dark, yet frighteningly realistic view of the world but when presented in words, although shockingly violent I find I can still read on (but that is not to say it?s not gory; it is).

At 148 pages it is a very short book. If you wanted to you could probably read it in a day. I read it in about a week because I wanted to take it in thoroughly. I think a brilliant way to read it would be to complete one ?Part? a day.

If you can deal with the ultra-violence (as Alex describes it) to discover the deeper meaning of the book - free will or imposed ?goodness? - then you will be sure to enjoy this book. If you conquered and perhaps enjoyed how George Orwell employed Newspeak in 1984 then perhaps this book is for you; but if you are after a light read then this certainly isn?t for you.

Personally I loved it - so it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me!


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;SBN 0-14-027409-X

£6.39 from www.amazon.co.uk


 carly_pussycat - dooyoo UK ©

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