A Clockwork Orange Dystopian Analysis

A Clockwork Orange is set in a dystopian society, controlled by a restrictive, tyrannical government and denotes a substantial disaccord between the citizens and the state. The novel is narrated by fifteen-year-old Alex, who speaks in a fictitious argot known as Nadsat. Alex and his ‘droogs’ (5) – Dim, Pete, and Georgie – venture the streets in ‘ultra-violence’ (5), attacking, robbing, and raping whoever they please. One night, Alex is arrested amidst another criminal act, putting his ‘ultraviolence’ to an end. In prison, Alex is offered to take part in an experimental behaviour modification treatment, known as the Ludovico’s Technique (91) – an aversion therapy believed to eradicate his violent tendencies – in return for a reduced sentence.

He argues that the British’s support for social control, meant renouncing the individual alone, and given his propensity towards anarchy, he disapproved of their socialist nature. He denounced the cultural homogeneity of American society, their heedlessness and indifference, and the crooked, nefarious nature of law enforcement.
Deemed as his most famous novel, A Clockwork Orange has been regarded considerably influential in areas of literary, visual, and music culture. However, prior to its release there was hesitation on publishing the novel due to worries of being an ‘enormous flop’ (Independent, 2012). It was prompted that, although illustrating a well-kept storyline and pleasant detail, the language would be too challenging to comprehend. Inconsistent with such beliefs, the novel was a success. Although, this was not instant, as its renowned reputation had only escalated in the 1970s, which was somewhat due to Stanley Kubrick’s film version in

By some it was highly regarded for confronting the heavy challenges of its time by demonstrating an accurate depiction of the violent youth culture. Burgess created a ‘dissonant, hyperreal but easily recognisable world’ (The Telegraph, 2017), and that ‘The violence is slapstick and theatrical’. However, others felt disturbed by the novel’s barbarism, arguing that it was ‘not be up to stomaching…and uninviting’ (The Guardian, 2012). During the 1970s, A Clockwork Orange was held accountable for the crimes, corruption and violence that transpired in the British nation (International Anthony Burgess Foundation, n.d.). Burgess grew to be a prominent figure on violence in the media and was repeatedly defending allegations made on his