Fresh Approach To Old Theme

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

The theme of A Clockwork Orange is almost as old as written literature, yet Burgess' approach is as fresh today as it was when first he wrote it 30-odd years ago. It ultimately deals with the struggle between free will and enforced behavior.

What makes a person a "good" person or a model citizen? Is it merely that they obey all laws and cause no harm to others? Or is it a person who chooses, of their own will, to be a contributing and caring member of his or her society? Burgess creates a future where the thugs are truly despicable. It is not his intention to make us like his protagonist, Alex. Instead, we see him in a horrifically honest mirror. He casually tells us of his dishonesty, his destructive tendencies and the violence he commits against others. Alex is the type of person we want to turn our eyes from and label as "monster."

But, Burgess asks, what if we could "reform" Alex? What if we could take the very dregs of moral society and prevent him from ever again causing harm while keeping him alive and off the public dole? What if we could, against his own desires, make him a "good" person?

A Clockwork Orange deserves the title of classic. Yes, it's violent. However, all of the violence is necessary and none of it is condoned. Its presence rather forces us to examine our feelings on violence and how it can be controlled. It is also masterfully written. Burgess takes his readers into another world by using a language that is otherworldly. The much-heralded slang is part of what transports the reader into this alternative world. It is strange enough to discomfort us, but familiar enough to pull us into his world until we no longer notice that it is not ours. Or perhaps it is just that Burgess has revealed a piece of our world that does exist.