In the novel A Clockwork Orange, the main character, Alex, is introduced as a fifteen year old with an uncanny vision for the life he so desires. As most teenagers do, Alex firmly believes that he knows all there is to know about the world, and believes that he and his 'droogs' (Burgess, 5) have what it takes to wreak havoc on society. However for Alex, it is his actions that speak louder than his words, and it is his horrifying yet vivid criminal acts, that show that he is a soul without regard for morality.
This lack of morality is even more evident, as he calmly justifies his actions as being the fault of society, and he is just playing his part; 'You can viddy that everything in this wicked world counts. You can pony that one thing always leads to another. Right right right. '(Burgess, 40). This uninhibited behavior by Alex is what leads to his eventual downfall. While living in a society where Alex was free to take things into his own hands, where he is able to rape, torture, and murder at his own discretion, he was experiencing a lifestyle free of oppression, moral, or immoral.
However it is Alex's over-abuse of his free-will that causes him to be arrested and jailed. While in jail new character traits arise from a 'conditioned' (Burgess, 80) Alex. It is evident that the rigorous conditioning and oppression against Alex, sensitized him against violence, thus curbing him towards a moral outlook on life. 'But, sir, sirs, I see that it's wrong. It's wrong because it's against like society, it's wrong because every veck on earth has the right to live and be happy without being beaten and tolchocked and knifed. ' (Burgess, 92).
However this plea was seen as a facade of the actuality the situation. Alex's harsh rebellion against society has shown the doctors that this subject is apparently incapable of outgrowing this natural process, and thus must not be released unto society, at least not yet. It is just, in saying that freedom of choice is an important part of teenage life, of all life, however, when one acts criminally, such as Alex, they are fairly suited to experience the same oppression that they place on the victims of their acts. While in prison, Alex gets a feeling of oppression and lack of choice.
This lack of freedom can spiritually murderous and terribly wrong, and is the reason Alex never strives for morality. 'When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man' (Burgess, 67) This was the jailer's interpretation of Alex's situation, and the reason why Alex expresses a feeling that he chooses to be evil, rather than being forced to be good. This is the natural process of a teenager trying within himself to break free of oppression, whether it is moral or not, it is not the way society wants him to be, which is why he does it.
Alex is tormented by his new state of oppression. He is incapable of making any choice; he has been conditioned to always do what is good. After Alex is released from the institution he is taken under the wing of a writer who is fighting the oppressive government. 'They have turned you into something other than a human being. You have power of choice any longer. You are committed to socially accepted acts, a little machine capable only of good' (Burgess, 122).
However in a teenager's life it is up to him to decide what is 'good', and taking that away from him will not teach him morality, in fact it will push him further away from morality. Alex is tortured by this lack of choice, so much, that he attempts suicide. However after being in the hospital, it is publicized that the state forced Alex to endure this tragedy of oppression, therefore to avoid public scrutiny the state 'fixed' Alex, and he once again had his freedom of choice 'I was cured all right' (Burgess, 139).
It is this kind of oppression and totalitarianism that causes rebellion in teenagers. This natural process is highlighted by a teen's ability to think and act for himself, however when that is taken away, and he can no longer think for himself. If this happens, a teen will no longer be able to determine what is morally right or wrong, and just go against what he is told. As portrayed in Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, this can lead to severe repercussions.
Author: Cody Owens