A Clockwork Orange

Alex lives in a violent and insensitive environment at home and socially. The state is repressive and constrains free speech and expression. It is in such an environment that Alex drinks drug-laced milk cocktails to deaden his feelings and emotions, especially before a night of violence. Like the state numbs expression and uses violent means to enforce its will, Alex numbs his expression with drugs so he can violently impose his will. After his droogs terrorize one victim, Alex informs us, ôthere was like quiet and we were full of like hateö (Burgess 23). In this state, Alex is often confused about emotions that stem from human capacity for ôgoodness.ö We see this when he obs

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fine laughing malchick. They donÆt go into what is the cause of goodness, so why of the other shop? If lewdies are good thatÆs because they like it, and I wouldnÆt interfere with their pleasuresö (Burgess 40). The above passage demonstrates that Alex lives in a mechanical and secular environment that removes from consideration any absolute moral authority. In the state in which Alex lives, there is no system of virtue, no code of right behavior, and AlexÆs ôbadnessö demonstrates that there is a need for a moral authority in society. However, lacking one the state merely chooses to violently impose its will on those whose behavior is deemed ôbadö by the state. The Ludovico Technique shows that the state is attempting to eliminate the very ôbadnessö in Alex that is has created. In doing so, however, it also removes AlexÆs capacity for goodness as well as badness. To escape these measures of control by the state or others, Alex blindly follows the ôbadnessö of his peers. Alex continually repeats the phrase ôWhatÆs it going to be then, ehö (Burgess 1)? This demonstrates AlexÆs uncertainty about his fate and the future, existing in such a state. Ironically, even though Alex insists he is following his will in carrying out act
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Body Alex, Ironically Alex, Ludovico Technique, Clockwork Orange, Shakespearean English, Orange Introduction, alex lives, alexÆs ôbadnessö, W Norton, clockwork orange, alex lives violent, stateÆs view, burgess 1, acts violence, lives violent, burgess 40, ludovico technique, numbs expression,
Approximate Word count = 1207
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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