A Clockwork Orange

[eclipsedmoongoddess482]

I just recently finished this haunting piece of literature. It had me intimidated at first due to all of the controversy behind it, but I heard that it had a very philisophical message behind it so how could I refuse?

This book was amazing, splendid, a real horrowshow of a novel you could say. The fact that the book is written partially in a different language (Nasdat or Teenage) may put you off at first but after the first twenty pages, words began to stick and now I'm finding myself speaking Nasdat in my mind. I'm debating whether or not to speak it in public. See what kind of reaction I'd get.

So who else has read this book and can you give your two cents about it?

[London]

Hm. I read this a long time ago. Lesse.. I balked at the funky slang the first time reading it, but finished it finally about a year later.

At the end I wondered if I was supposed to feel any sympathy for the main character (whose name I've forgotten..). I think so, but he just did [i]too[/i] many bad things over the course of the book. Hm.
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[i][size=9]Go Yankees![/size][/i]

[eclipsedmoongoddess482]

If I could use a cliche term for a moment, I'd consider Alex to be a guy the audience loves to hate.

After studying some key scenes, I concluded that the overall purpose of the book is to reflect on the free will of humanity. What is free will? Are we actually free or are we simply living a life influenced by those higher than us and if we are then are those who do bad really the only "humans" in the world? Those questions are brought up throughout the novel, especially durring and after the Ludivico experiment. Personally, I think that Burgess made a valid point: Man cannot be man without free will.

My English teacher (who recommended the book to me in the first place) told me "normally, I don't support brainwashing but for this guy I was all for it!" I was surprised because I thought that at least she would think that brainwashing was wrong afterwards. But thats the beauty of this novel: anybody can approach this novel and come out with a strong, passionate arguement over whether or not Alex's fate was justified.

In fact, that is an excellent question to bring up: Was the Ludivico technique justified to treat a troubled boy such as Alex?

[fallenangel]

Figures that Alex is someone I love to love. As I do with all "villains" (though in this case he's still the protagonist).

I wrote my first college paper on Clockwork (mainly the film though) and got a near perfect grade on it mostly 'cause I spent the majority of the paper rationalizing why Alex is teh awesome. And college profs love students to rationalize.

Granted it is about free will and whether society should be able to control people in that way for the "benefit of society", it's also got a 1984 doom and gloom prophecy going on. But the ending of the book gives the impression that the youngsters will/can grow out of it and become useful members of society without government interference and that brainwashing doesn't cure anyone. It just puts them in mental handcuffs. They still want to be violent.

I actually prefer the movie version with the last chapter omitted. Alex returning to his old ways without "growing up". It's a better message, I think, to underscore the fact brainwashing doesn't work than to tag on the maturing thing too.

Oh, and nadsat is heavily based in Russian, so depending on who you're around...may come off a bit differently than intended.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[Stereominate]

I loved it. I speak russian so I had little problems with the slang.

And fortunatly for me (I'm writing my final essay on it this week) it's a novel that can be analyzed from a million different angles.

My thesis is on the way good and evil are portrayed as being similarly selfish in the text. Mostly inspired by Alex's one line where he asks 'why people never look for the cause of good'. Or something along those lines. x3

Anyway, I think the 21st chapter, the one that was omitted from the movie, is actually the most frigthening one of all. I mean, there's [i]real[/i] brainwashing for you. I personaly don't think Alex is growing up or maturing in any positive way, because he doesn't actually... well, learn anything. He just has a whole new goal, a different way to get satisfaction. He doesn't regret his actions or feel sorry for his victims - just, instead of beating up on people he wants a fucking kid. It's the same old Alex, except this time he can't see around what's happening to him like he could when he got conditoned in the prison.

And the whole fatal repetition of events, (Alex's kid growing up to be just like him) is really a much darker ending. Without the 21st chapter it's just some teenage-rebellion story, the kind of thing that made it all cult-like... but in my opinion, not as interesting literature-wise.

The whole free-will question is like... the main obvious point of the novel. And I've been ignoring the obvious points for so long now I don't really spare it much thought. There's so much more to the novel it's amazing.

[fallenangel]

Perhaps because I have more interest in prison and prison reform, I don't care for the last chapter dealing with social 'brainwashing'. There's a difference between how society attempts to reform violent criminals and the way it affects rebellious youth. Society can't brainwash violent criminals into submission, else there wouldn't be all these cons with wrap sheets dating back to when they were 15.

I don't think its cult status comes from it being a story of teenage rebellion just 'cause it's so far removed from that. Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a hit because of it, but Clockwork the movie doesn't come across that way mostly because everything Alex does is beyond skipping class and picking up girls. Malcolm McDowell being obviously so much older than Alex too. In the film it's hard to remember that he's so young.

The last chapter's fine for the book, but I like where the movie leaves off. Then again, I always love my villains to come out on top.
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"I care about people as much as I care about lawn furniture" - Dexter/Michael C. Hall

[Stereominate]

The movie's just... different, I suppose. I haven't watched it yet but I will when I can, and I'm excited.

But yeah, mayhaps teenage rebellion was not the right way to put it. But rebellion nevertheless. An intellectual sort I guess. Anti-authority, at least on the surfacemost level.

Which is all very good really. I don't think it's selling out or anything, it's powerful. I just protest to the fact that people say the 21st chapter [i]weakens[/i] the novel. Or that it's a happily-ever-after ending in any way.

Now i have to wait a week or so to see how I did on my essay. xD