by Anthony Burgess
The confessions of a 15-year old delinquent, Burgess'
controversial horror/ social prophecy/ study of human choice.
Reviewed by: Guy Brandon
About Guy Brandon
"A Clockwork Orange" is Burgess' most original and infamous novel, and
deserves to be read alongside such classics as 1984 and Brave New World. Set
in a bleak futuristic dystopia, it is the first-person account of 15-year
old Alex's delinquent excesses, for which he is eventually apprehended and
punished. Imprisoned for his horrible crimes, Alex is offered reprieve if he
will submit to an experimental new technique designed to deprogram him of
his criminal tendencies. He agrees, but without fully realising the
implications of the treatment.
The book contains material that many readers will find offensive and
disturbing. It has, however, been widely misunderstood, especially after
Kubrick's film adaptation (the film itself was banned by Kubrick after
stories in the British press linked it to "copycat" killings. It was
unavailable throughout most of the 70's, 80's and 90's, eventually being
reissued after his death). Not simply a lurid horror novel, it is a
penetrating analysis of human nature, our choices between good and evil, and
what it means to have free will. No one character in the book is entirely
good or bad, only human.
After the Ludovico technique has left him helpless, Alex is used as a pawn
by two opposing political parties to further their own interests. Realising
that his freedom will serve their purposes best, the first is quick to see
him compensated for the inconvenience they have caused. The satire is
complete when the government is finally left combating the problem it
created, using ever worse crimes to do so. This theme of hypocrisy is found
in every character that offers him help, right down to the prison chaplain;
Alex, of course, maintains that he has always been the victim.
A Clockwork Orange is written in "Nadsat", the teenage slang that the
narrator and his peers use. "Odd bits of rhyming slang . a bit of gypsy talk
too. But most of the roots are Slav. Propaganda". The author skilfully
anglicises the Russian, brilliantly nuancing the words in Alex's mouth:
"khorosho" (good) has been adapted as "horrorshow", "iudi" (people) as
"lewdies", and so on. This linguistic innovation was possibly Burgess'
greatest stroke of genius, and one used to great effect throughout the book.
Written in cyclical form, Clockwork Orange has three parts of seven chapters
each, dealing with Alex's crime spree, his detention and "cure", and its
aftermath. The recurrence of themes and language in these parts ingeniously
reinforces the plot and author's ideas. Writing in the first-person also
gives a sense of immediacy and reality to his story, which is presented with
great pace and energy right to the end.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: A Clockwork Orange
Copyright © by Guy Brandon, 2002
Reviewed by Guy Brandon:
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