Journal Entry - A Clockwork Orange
Journal Entry #3 – A Clockwork Orange
Burgess’ novel, A Clockwork Orange, carries many themes prevalent to the time-period of the novel’s release. In a futuristic city governed by a repressive totalitarian super-state, humans have become machines or lower animals. The main protagonist of the story, Alex, asserts his free will by deciding to live a life of debauchery and violence before being robbed of his free-will by the government. When A Clockwork Orange was written the war against Communism was at its peak. With many countries such as Russia and Cuba spreading communism to different parts of the world, the fear of depriving an individual’s free-will in light of the public was set in with the United States and its ally forces. Free-will then despite its predication that individuals such as Alex can make the choice of being wicked can also make the choice as a moral agent to do well. Without those choices the human-act of kindness/good becomes nothing more than a shallow behavior.
In the beginning of the novel, Alex merely appears to be a mindless brute, with his thoughts and behaviors geared strictly towards violent behavior. It is not until he returns home and his post-correctional officer, Deltoid, enters into his apartment and confronts Alex on his behavior that his views on free-will are made clear; after Deltoid leaves, Alex dismissed Deltoid’s apprehension, and states that a government that does not allow its citizens to act badly is a power of authority that robs people of their free-will.
Subsequent Alex’s attempt to rob an older lady’s home, Alex enters the Staja State Jail where he is sentenced fourteen years in prison. It is there that Alex begins the process of being robbed of his free-will. He is stripped of his clothes and his name. He is given a prison jump-suit and a number, 6655321. However, despite Alex’s confinement, he is still allowed to partake in his one enjoyment, Classical Music. The prison Chaplain who took an interest into
Burgess’ novel, A Clockwork Orange, carries many themes prevalent to the time-period of the novel’s release. In a futuristic city governed by a repressive totalitarian super-state, humans have become machines or lower animals. The main protagonist of the story, Alex, asserts his free will by deciding to live a life of debauchery and violence before being robbed of his free-will by the government. When A Clockwork Orange was written the war against Communism was at its peak. With many countries such as Russia and Cuba spreading communism to different parts of the world, the fear of depriving an individual’s free-will in light of the public was set in with the United States and its ally forces. Free-will then despite its predication that individuals such as Alex can make the choice of being wicked can also make the choice as a moral agent to do well. Without those choices the human-act of kindness/good becomes nothing more than a shallow behavior.
In the beginning of the novel, Alex merely appears to be a mindless brute, with his thoughts and behaviors geared strictly towards violent behavior. It is not until he returns home and his post-correctional officer, Deltoid, enters into his apartment and confronts Alex on his behavior that his views on free-will are made clear; after Deltoid leaves, Alex dismissed Deltoid’s apprehension, and states that a government that does not allow its citizens to act badly is a power of authority that robs people of their free-will.
Subsequent Alex’s attempt to rob an older lady’s home, Alex enters the Staja State Jail where he is sentenced fourteen years in prison. It is there that Alex begins the process of being robbed of his free-will. He is stripped of his clothes and his name. He is given a prison jump-suit and a number, 6655321. However, despite Alex’s confinement, he is still allowed to partake in his one enjoyment, Classical Music. The prison Chaplain who took an interest into