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A Clockwork Orange

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'A Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess is a dystopian novel that delves into the themes of free will, societal control, violence, and morality. The book follows the story of Alex, a violent teenager who undergoes a forced transformation in exchange for his freedom, leading to profound changes in his life. The narrative is told through a unique and inventive Slavic English hybrid language filled with its own slang, challenging readers to decode and immerse themselves in Alex's world of gang violence and societal manipulation.

The book presents a bleak view of the future where society is threatened by both criminal gangs and a controlling government. Through the character of Alex, Burgess explores the concepts of good and evil, human freedom, and the consequences of societal interventions in shaping individuals. The narrative is vivid, cruel, and evocative, with a compelling philosophical idea that questions the nature of choice and obedience in human behavior.

Characters:

Characters are vividly drawn, with Alex serving as a captivating antihero whose charm contrasts with his violent actions.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is marked by the use of the unique and immersive Nadsat slang, making the narrative inventive and engaging.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on a young delinquent's violent escapades and subsequent state-sponsored reprogramming, exploring themes of free will, morality, and societal control.

Setting:

The setting is a dark and chaotic dystopian society characterized by rampant youth violence and authoritarian control.

Pacing:

The pacing is generally fast-paced, particularly in the beginning, effectively maintaining reader engagement.
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 rassoodocks what to do with the evening, a flip da...

Notes:

A Clockwork Orange was published in 1962 and is often associated with dystopian themes.
The book is written in a unique slang called Nadsat, which blends English with Russian and other languages.
Alex, the protagonist, is a fifteen-year-old delinquent who enjoys causing violence and chaos.
The story raises questions about free will and morality, particularly whether a person can be truly good if they are forced to be good.
The original British edition contains a 21st chapter that was omitted from the first American edition and Kubrick's film adaptation.
Burgess wrote the book quickly, producing it in about three weeks as a response to his diagnosis of a terminal illness at the time.
The book is both disturbing and thought-provoking, prompting discussions on violence in youth culture and government control.
Burgess expressed regret that A Clockwork Orange overshadowed his other works, feeling it was not his best writing.
The final chapter offers a glimpse into Alex's potential for change and maturation, which some readers find adds depth to the story.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for A Clockwork Orange include high levels of violence, sexual violence, and themes of psychological manipulation.

From The Publisher:

In Anthony Burgess’s influential nightmare vision of the future, where the criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, a teen who talks in a fantastically inventive slang that evocatively renders his and his friends’ intense reaction against their society. Dazzling and transgressive, A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil and the meaning of human freedom.

Ratings (185)

Incredible (31)
Loved It (62)
Liked It (41)
It Was OK (25)
Did Not Like (19)
Hated It (7)

Reader Stats (443):

Read It (196)
Currently Reading (3)
Want To Read (154)
Did Not Finish (16)
Not Interested (74)

3 comment(s)

Loved It
1 week

I read it back in 2019 and thought of rereading it for a while now. I think I'll keep my 4 star reading because it most definitely delivers a story in a clever way but it took some time to focus on it as the language felt like nonsense most of the time. It's an interesting work of fiction that I haven't found anything similar to it yet. Haven't seen the movie but think I rather not due to some of the books content. I can read/listen to most kind of things but is a complete mess when it comes to movies

 
Liked It
7 months

While I can't say I found it a pleasant read, A Clockwork Orange earns its status as a classic through it's fantastic language and biting social observation.

 
It Was OK
7 months

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

I don't think I've ever heard what this book really is about. And the description on the cover also did not prepare me for what I found. That's why this book really surprised me.

At first, it was not easy for me to get used to the language created by the author. In general, I had no problems understanding it, but it was not an easy task and made it difficult for me to enter the story. The beginning was also not encouraging. Although the main character is fascinating from a psychological point of view, it is difficult to like him and therefore it was not easy for me to read this story at first. Also, it is a story full of violence, which I do not always feel like reading about.

Then I got used to the original language and the main character started to really fascinate me. It was much easier and faster to read the story then. But unfortunately after a while I lost interest again. The language of this book again became difficult for me and the main character irritating. In addition, it seemed to me that the story was starting to drag on, and the language demanded from me constant concentration much more than with a regular book. It seemed to me then that this book was too long and at times I just waited for it to end.

Hence my complicated feelings. I understand well why this book is considered revolutionary. The language itself does it. But it was probably not a book for me. At the end, I was too weary to fully appreciate the author's ideas.

 

About the Author:

Anthony Burgess was born in Manchester in 1917. He served in the army from 1940 to 1954 before becoming a colonial education officer. It was while he held this post that doctors told him he would die, and he decided to try to live by writing. He achieved a worldwide reputation as one of the leading novelists of his day, and one of the most versitile. His writings include criticism, scripts and translations, and a Broadway musical, and he composed three symphonies which have been publicly performed in the USA. His books have been published all over the world and include A Clockwork Orange, The Clockwork Testament, Inside Mr Enderby, Enderby's Dark Lady, Earthly Powers, Abba Abba and The End of the World News. Anthony Burgess died in 1993.

 
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