A Clockwork Orange And Communism

The novel A Clockwork Orange, written by Anthony Burgess, was originally published in 1962. It is a dystopian novel where the future is overrun with violence and crime. The main character, Alex, commits horrible crimes, such as rape and murder, with his group of friends. After breaking into a house, Alex is arrested and undergoes an experiment called Ludovico’s Technique while in jail. He can no longer make bad choices, and feels sick when he thinks about committing a crime. He is vulnerable, and is beaten by the people he once talked to. He is then used as a symbol of the government’s corruption, but does not want any part of the revolution. He tries to kill himself, and the technique is undone when he wakes up in the hospital. The book ends …show more content…
A Clockwork Orange was originally published in 1962, which was during the middle of the Cold War. Britain was not as affected by the war as some other countries, but it still made an impact on the citizens living there. “Burgess regarded communism as a fundamentally flawed system, because it shifts moral responsibility from the individual to the state while disregarding the welfare of the individual” (Sparknotes). The government requires all adults to work, and Alex’s mother works at a state owned store. This control the government has taken away the freedom of the citizens. The title, A Clockwork Orange, describes that the government takes away personality. F. Alexander, one of the revolution leaders, says that, “will not the government itself now decide what is and is not crime and pump he life and guts and will of whoever sees fit to displease the government?” (180 Burgess). The government is trying to make everyone the same, like clockwork. The government uses Ludovico’s Technique to take away freedom. This technique prevented Alex to make any bad choice, resulting in a loss of choice. His freedom is gone, and in totalitarian government, the people have less