The setting of A Clockwork Orange is in the near future, where the world is a dangerous place and, at night, gangs come out to rob and rape people. Alex, the main character, is one of these people. He is the vicious leader of a gang that kills without remorse. Alex hurts one of his members, which causes the rest of the gang members to consider teaching Alex a lesson in equality. Eventually, when they are robbing a house, as they usually do, they hurt him and turn him over to the police. After a year, Alex is the first subject of the Ludovico Technigque, which associates hurting someone with pain. They condition him to feel horrible, nauseating pain whenever he thinks of hurting someone. He is robbed of choice, he cannot choose to be "good" or "bad", he is forced to be "good". This book is about choice, and Burgess was afraid that that the government would oppress the citizens.
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The review of this Book prepared by Yuriy Bash
Alex is a violent young man who enjoys drugs, Beethoven, rape, theft, assaulting others and general mayhem. His group of friends betray him to the police and he is sent to be reformed. The methods used to make Alex more sociably acceptable are unpleasant indeed and you will end up wondering whetehr the criminal or the punishment is most disturing. A tale of free will and the importance of being able to chose. The book uses a fictional slang "nadsat' which includes elements of Russian and some archaic English - it does take quite a bit of getting used to.
The review of this Book prepared by Bryn Pearson
Anthony Burgess' "A Clockwork Orange" is a story about choice, told in a humorous, yet very disturbing manner. Alex, the humble narrator, is a violent, wild youth who cares nothing for the harm he causes other people. To him, its nothing more than a game. But when he is finally taken in by the proper authorities, he enters a strange treatment program that will turn him into a fully functional citizen. Or so they think.
The review of this Book prepared by Pamela Piarowski
