Analysis Of A Clockwork Orange English Literature Essay

“Singing in the rain, I’m singing in the rain….” As this vivacious song disappears into the terror of the night, the emergence of one of the greatest novels and movies, A Clockwork Orange, begins to take shape. Anthony Burgess’s contemporary novel, A Clockwork Orange, and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie, A Clockwork Orange, based upon the novel, have many important similarities and differences, which aid in confirming A Clockwork Orange as one of the most terrifying, yet extraordinary pieces of cinema and literature ever to be created.

One of the important similarities between Anthony Burgess’ novel and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange is the interpretation of what the true meaning of A Clockwork Orange which is important because it is the basis for the entire story because he has been brain washed by the government to make him act the way they want him to act. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex is only A Clockwork Orange, something mechanical that appears organic. By this I mean that although Alex is human, and capable to say and think whatever he chooses, he cannot, for in fact he is being used like a machine by the government, doing whatever they desire with him.

From the similarity between the interpretation of what the true meaning of A Clockwork Orange in both Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange comes the difference in how the government proves Alex to be like A Clockwork Orange, after having already completed the “Ludovico Technique.” In Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel they prove Alex to be like A Clockwork Orange by showing him certain grotesque pictures and asking him what he felt. In Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie, they proved Alex to be like A Clockwork Orange by placing him on a stage with actors and presenting it in front of the important members of the government. “Please, I must do something shall I clean your boots Look, I’ll get down and lick them. In Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange this following passage is what Alex said in Stanley Kubrick’s movie after having been kicked in the “Gulliver” by the actor’s boot, which demonstrates Alex’s mechanical change into A Clockwork Orange.

Another similarity in both Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange is the use of the Nadsat language. The Nadsat language, which is the vocabulary of the teenagers in the future, is important to be in both the book and movie because the language shows the difference between the violent teenagers and the intellectual aristocracy of this nightmarish future.

“Viddy well brotha viddy well”, “What giveth then, old droogie?” “Nobody seemed to quite pony that, but somebody said in like a harsh goloss” “Ho, ho, ho! Well, if it isn’t fat stinking billy goat Billy Boy in poison! How art thou, thou globby bottle of cheap, stinking chip oil? Come and get one in the yarbles, if ya have any yarbles, you eunuch jelly thou!” “Be more respectful, boy, in addressing the Minister” (A Clockwork Orange, page 173). This passage taken from Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel exemplifies how teenagers talked, and that no one else seemed to understand “pony” what Alex was saying, except that it “had to be disrespectful.”

A huge difference between Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie of A Clockwork Orange is the differences with the second encounter with the man whose wife that had been raped and killed by Alex and his friends “droogies.” In Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel, the man is exactly the same as he was except for his wife having been killed. In the book, the man asked to hear Alex’s story and he mentioned the name Dim, whom sounded familiar to the man, and then for the first time he realized that Alex was one of those hoodlums who raped his wife that terrible night. Also, in the morning, the man called him down to eat breakfast, which gave Alex time to roam around in the man’s bedroom where he found his name, F. Alexander, on his book. However, from this, Alex was used by F. Alexander as a political stunt in the hotel room without force and leaves the reader to assume that F. Alexander was responsible for driving Alex to sheer madness to jump out of the window.

Unlike Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel, Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie was completely different in the second encounter with the man whose wife had been raped and killed by Alex and his friends. The man, having been beaten so badly in the first encounter, was now in a wheelchair, and accompanied by a huge, strong man named Julian, whom helped F. Alexander do the things that he could not do in a wheelchair. Also, while Alex is offered a hot bath, he sang the song “Singing in the Rain,” which he had sung during the first encounter with F. Alexander. Having sung this song, the man at once recognized and realized that Alex had been one of the hoodlums that were there on the night he had been beaten, and raped his wife. Also, having realized after the bath that Alex was responsible for his wife’s death, he drugged Alex’s drink rendering him unable to ever know the man’s name, F. Alexander, and proving that F. Alexander was responsible for having tried to kill Alex by driving him to madness to jump out of the window.

Anthony Burgess’ contemporary novel, A Clockwork Orange, and Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding movie, A Clockwork Orange, based upon the novel, have many important similarities and differences. These similarities and differences; however, help to mold in my opinion one of the greatest novels and movies of our time. Upon reading and watching A Clockwork Orange it leaves me with just one final thought what will the world be like in the future?