A Clockwork Orange Essay: George Gerbner's Philosophy Of Violence
Violence in A Clockwork Orange: Analysis using George Gerbner’s Philosophy of Violence A Clockwork Orange is a dystopian novel, describing a forthcoming future in a stately controlled country. The anti-hero Alex rebels against the state using violence and is consequently locked up. Later he is turned into a harmless subject without free will, powerless of perpetrating any crime. However, through the Ludovico Treatment, the method in which the state turns Alex into a harmless subject, violence is represented as two forms: A tool for control by the state or a perpetrator of pain for Alex. This representation of violence can be paralleled to George Gerbner’s, Global Media Mayhem, where a clear distinction between difference types of violence
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is made. Gerbner explains that “Happy Violence” is usually “cool, swift, painless, and often spectacular, even thrilling, but usually sanitized” (Gerbner 88).
Examples of “Happy Violence” include animated cartoons where characters are usually hit, shot, or trampled over by other characters, but either the character “pops” back to life or dies while the show continues. Through this example the distinction that makes happy violence is that there is no repercussions of the violence that is committed. The character’s move on with their lives, not understanding the consequences of the violence that is committed. However, Meaningful Violence is “Individually crafted, historically inspired, sparingly and selectively used expressions of symbolic violence can indicate the tragic costs of deadly compulsions” (Gerbner 88). Examples of this type of violence can be found in Shakespearean novels, such as Hamlet. In Hamlet, the death of Polonius is a tragic event that affects the rest of his family. His son is convinced that he must kill the murderer of his father, while his daughter is driven to madness and eventually commits suicide. Unlike a cartoon, the violence that is committed towards Polonius by Hamlet has repercussions for the actions that Hamlet has committed. The same analysis can be applied to A Clockwork Orange. Throughout the novel, there are
indication of both types of violence that can range from the private level to the social level. However, the determination for the classification between Happy and Meaningful Violence is dependent on the point of view of the character.
In Part II of A Clockwork Orange, Alex is subjected to the Ludovico Treatment, an attempt to “teach” his body that “violence is a very horrible thing” (Burgess 97). However, violence is used in the treatment as a tool to teach obedience to the state and oppress his acts of “Ultra-Violence.” Under the influence of a drug that induces pain at the sight or thought of violence, Alex is exposed to intense videos that exhibit violence from the personal to the social level. As the treatments begin, the videos that are presented are “individually crafted,” to Alex because they are replicas of the violence that he performed in the first part of the novel. As the treatments progresses, the Doctors choose videos that are “historically inspired” from World War II depicting Japanese soldiers torturing their captives in elaborate ways. These videos parallel the definition of “Meaningful Violence” as they “indicate the tragic costs of deadly compulsions,” to Alex, effectively teaching him to stay away from violence. However, by torturing Alex through forcing him to watch these videos, the Doctors are performing an act of psychological violence (which by definition “impairs the victim's psychological integrity”). Mentally, all the videos were “real, very real,” to him (Burgess 94). He experiences the pain and suffering of the victims that are presented in the video, and therefore is affected psychologically. Through this understanding, Alex has experienced “Meaningful Violence” because the repercussions of the psychological violence that has been presented to him has totally changed Alex leaving his old self “killed.” By making the treatment meaningful experience, Burgess may be hinting that the experiences create the person that we become and that the environment that we live in defines how we act in the world.
However, as much as Alex has been part of the treatments, the Doctors administered the treatments to Alex. The Doctors appear to have no remorse for when they administer the treatments. While Alex was begging the Doctor’s to discontinue the treatment, Dr. Brodsky exclaimed “‘Stop it? Stop it, did you say? Why, we’ve hardly started.’ And he and the others smecked quite loud” (Burgess 95). Instead of being sympathetic towards the patient, the Doctors view the effects of the treatment as something that is “spectacular, even thrilling.” Throughout the treatments, the Doctors use dramatic videos to display the violence in a very thrilling way. However, the Doctors have “sanitized” the Ludovico Process because they have removed any physical trauma from the treatment. They only affect his mind by presenting the videos to him. The process is further induced by the use of classical music which enhances the feelings experienced by Alex. However, by using music in their treatment, they have made Alex have an aversion against music. The Doctors don’t understand how this affects Alex because he has lost something that he loves dearly. After this loss, he admits that violence is “a sin, that’s what it is, a filthy unforgivable sin, you bratchnies” (Burgess 102). From this statement it is understood that Alex has totally changed from when he entered treatment. But the Doctor’s view this outcome as a punishment that was needed for all the crimes that Alex has committed. They don’t understand the connection that Alex had to the music, and therefore don’t understand the repercussions of their actions against Alex. This disconnection between the Doctors and Alex is paralleled through the understanding of what “Happy Violence” creates because the Doctors move on with their work after Alex has completed his treatment.
As Alex is “cured” from the Ludovico Treatment, he regains his lust for “Ultra-Violence” in the 21st chapter of the novel. However, in this part of the novel, Alex becomes weary to violence and wants something more to life then what he is getting now. This revelation that is experienced by Alex doesn’t come from his effects of the Ludovico treatment but by his self-realization that he must “grow-up” as everyone does. However, the repercussions, such as a job in the government, that he gained from the Ludovico Treatment was a catalyst that allowed him to understand that he must grow up. Without the job, he would have just beaten up people for their money in order to survive and would have continued with the havoc he creates. But by having the job, he understands the importance of money and decides to save his money then spend it on unnecessary items, which may be a sign of maturity in some cases. Therefore, Alex still has experienced “Meaningful Violence” because he lives with the repercussions of the treatment. This helps define Burgess’ view of the world because he maintains the belief that the environment and the experiences one lives with defines their future as well as behavior as they continue to grow.
is made. Gerbner explains that “Happy Violence” is usually “cool, swift, painless, and often spectacular, even thrilling, but usually sanitized” (Gerbner 88).
Examples of “Happy Violence” include animated cartoons where characters are usually hit, shot, or trampled over by other characters, but either the character “pops” back to life or dies while the show continues. Through this example the distinction that makes happy violence is that there is no repercussions of the violence that is committed. The character’s move on with their lives, not understanding the consequences of the violence that is committed. However, Meaningful Violence is “Individually crafted, historically inspired, sparingly and selectively used expressions of symbolic violence can indicate the tragic costs of deadly compulsions” (Gerbner 88). Examples of this type of violence can be found in Shakespearean novels, such as Hamlet. In Hamlet, the death of Polonius is a tragic event that affects the rest of his family. His son is convinced that he must kill the murderer of his father, while his daughter is driven to madness and eventually commits suicide. Unlike a cartoon, the violence that is committed towards Polonius by Hamlet has repercussions for the actions that Hamlet has committed. The same analysis can be applied to A Clockwork Orange. Throughout the novel, there are
indication of both types of violence that can range from the private level to the social level. However, the determination for the classification between Happy and Meaningful Violence is dependent on the point of view of the character.
In Part II of A Clockwork Orange, Alex is subjected to the Ludovico Treatment, an attempt to “teach” his body that “violence is a very horrible thing” (Burgess 97). However, violence is used in the treatment as a tool to teach obedience to the state and oppress his acts of “Ultra-Violence.” Under the influence of a drug that induces pain at the sight or thought of violence, Alex is exposed to intense videos that exhibit violence from the personal to the social level. As the treatments begin, the videos that are presented are “individually crafted,” to Alex because they are replicas of the violence that he performed in the first part of the novel. As the treatments progresses, the Doctors choose videos that are “historically inspired” from World War II depicting Japanese soldiers torturing their captives in elaborate ways. These videos parallel the definition of “Meaningful Violence” as they “indicate the tragic costs of deadly compulsions,” to Alex, effectively teaching him to stay away from violence. However, by torturing Alex through forcing him to watch these videos, the Doctors are performing an act of psychological violence (which by definition “impairs the victim's psychological integrity”). Mentally, all the videos were “real, very real,” to him (Burgess 94). He experiences the pain and suffering of the victims that are presented in the video, and therefore is affected psychologically. Through this understanding, Alex has experienced “Meaningful Violence” because the repercussions of the psychological violence that has been presented to him has totally changed Alex leaving his old self “killed.” By making the treatment meaningful experience, Burgess may be hinting that the experiences create the person that we become and that the environment that we live in defines how we act in the world.
However, as much as Alex has been part of the treatments, the Doctors administered the treatments to Alex. The Doctors appear to have no remorse for when they administer the treatments. While Alex was begging the Doctor’s to discontinue the treatment, Dr. Brodsky exclaimed “‘Stop it? Stop it, did you say? Why, we’ve hardly started.’ And he and the others smecked quite loud” (Burgess 95). Instead of being sympathetic towards the patient, the Doctors view the effects of the treatment as something that is “spectacular, even thrilling.” Throughout the treatments, the Doctors use dramatic videos to display the violence in a very thrilling way. However, the Doctors have “sanitized” the Ludovico Process because they have removed any physical trauma from the treatment. They only affect his mind by presenting the videos to him. The process is further induced by the use of classical music which enhances the feelings experienced by Alex. However, by using music in their treatment, they have made Alex have an aversion against music. The Doctors don’t understand how this affects Alex because he has lost something that he loves dearly. After this loss, he admits that violence is “a sin, that’s what it is, a filthy unforgivable sin, you bratchnies” (Burgess 102). From this statement it is understood that Alex has totally changed from when he entered treatment. But the Doctor’s view this outcome as a punishment that was needed for all the crimes that Alex has committed. They don’t understand the connection that Alex had to the music, and therefore don’t understand the repercussions of their actions against Alex. This disconnection between the Doctors and Alex is paralleled through the understanding of what “Happy Violence” creates because the Doctors move on with their work after Alex has completed his treatment.
As Alex is “cured” from the Ludovico Treatment, he regains his lust for “Ultra-Violence” in the 21st chapter of the novel. However, in this part of the novel, Alex becomes weary to violence and wants something more to life then what he is getting now. This revelation that is experienced by Alex doesn’t come from his effects of the Ludovico treatment but by his self-realization that he must “grow-up” as everyone does. However, the repercussions, such as a job in the government, that he gained from the Ludovico Treatment was a catalyst that allowed him to understand that he must grow up. Without the job, he would have just beaten up people for their money in order to survive and would have continued with the havoc he creates. But by having the job, he understands the importance of money and decides to save his money then spend it on unnecessary items, which may be a sign of maturity in some cases. Therefore, Alex still has experienced “Meaningful Violence” because he lives with the repercussions of the treatment. This helps define Burgess’ view of the world because he maintains the belief that the environment and the experiences one lives with defines their future as well as behavior as they continue to grow.