A Clockwork Orange

A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess’ 1962 dystopian novel, takes place under many similar circumstances to that of 1984. They both take place in tyrannical, futuristic English regimes. They both follow the lives of an insignificant person caught in the middle of everything that is happening in the world around him. In A Clockwork Orange we follow the life of Alex, another youth caught in the overwhelming gang problem that has taken the country over. He and his droogs, or friends, are constantly out causing havoc on the streets and carrying out heinous crimes such as: rape, assault, armed robbery and so on. Their lives are totally engulfed in to the life styles they lead, filled with drugs, sex and violence. In their minds they know what they are doing is wrong but it doesn’t matter as long as they are having fun. Alex and his droogs are on the ultimate path of self destruction and it seems like nothing or no one can stop them except themselves. Eventually, however, Alex’s lifestyle catches up with him and he is soon taken in to the government’s hand. He is nothing more than a virus to them and in their minds is expendable but they want to learn as much from his as they can before they discard him. He is taken to prison and then to a testing facility to become the new Alex, whether he likes it or not. This speaks to one of the major themes of good, referring to the fact that we are all given a choice in everything we do but what happens when someone’s choice is taken away and made for them, who’s making the decisions in that scenario? A Clockwork Orange was written to make us all think about the choices we do and do not make and never take for granted the fact we live in a society that allows us to at least think that we’re are free to make whatever choice we like and live with the consequences of that choice. Without a choice we are nothing more than a pawn to whoever is playing the pieces. The book speaks volumes to the moral dilemma we all face every day, to do...