A clockwork orange: Futuristic fantasy Essay

A Clockwork chromatic is a book with a moral. More than that, it is a warning a caution to the 1960s society of which bourgeois was a p device. His predictions of the world to come are bloody and his depictions of unpeaceful regimes and totalitarian provinces are fantastic and profound. exactly they are non so far from the truth as one would think Burgess formed his picture of Alexs world in the world he saw around him in the 1960s. This is most notable in the language that is used. It is absolutely full of Russian words horrorshow, krovvy, ptitsa, and tolchock.This is of course a reference to the Soviet regime, which ruled over the USSR with an iron fist. At the prison term the Cold War was in full force, animosity was high and Soviet communism posed a real threat to the western democracies. But it is possible that Burgess was depicting the future world as well as his hold. He is suggesting that if his own society were to carry on the way it was in his time, indeed it coul d possibly end up being as strict and oppressive as the Soviet regime.It is horizontal a possibility that Burgess rememberd that the western countries, including his own country, the UK, would fall under the rule of communism and give-up the ghost Soviet states themselves. If this is true, then it suggests to me an admiration for the Soviet regime, not a dislike he considered that the Soviets were so hefty and organised, that western occupation was an actual possibility. But if this happened, Burgess believed it would be the end of the world as he knew it.Throughout the novel he makes subtle references to authoritative things he believed would not last under state interpretler art and literature. Alex himself says that newspapers were not being read more than. Later he describes the Public Biblio, or library, which not many lewdies used those days. The boys wear masks later in the first chapter, and these are in any case significant. Peebee Shelley is seen as a novelty now an age-old poet from years ago, long dead and long forgotten. flush Elvis Presley is included with Shelley and Henry VIII, suggesting that he too is simply a remnant of an old society.This had redden more significance in the time Burgess wrote the novel, since Elvis was alive and famous and very much a part of modern popular culture. To Alex he is a name that means nothing. Even the remnant buildings of Oldtown are strange to him. They are from a time when people had a choice. The fall of literature and art is synonymous with the abolition of granting immunity. Literature, art and architecture are forms of expression and in Alexs world they do not exist, only in fleeting references and novelty masks.There is the boys appearance the so-called heighth of fashion for their day. In many respects it is similar to fashion of the 1960s. The outrageous styles, indicated by the old jelly mould adjustment on the crotch under the tights, funnily shaped into flowers, spiders and a clowns l itso. And on that point are also the very bright colours purple and green and orange wigs on their gullivers. quite a unusually the boys also wear make-up. There are two possible explanations for this. The first is the most self-explanatory the boys want to be different.They are hitting out against organised state-control. The second reason is much more subtle at the time Burgess wrote the novel, a sexual revolution was taking place in particular, women were more free to take on the traditionally masculine practices, such as pursuing a career. Clearly, the boys are doing the same thing adopting a traditionally female practice. It could be that Burgess is making a social statement he predicts that in the future, the boundaries determining which gender takes on which role will be less definite.Yet it is still only a suggestion Burgesss old-style attitude towards the sexes is moderately clear in the book, since every major character is male. It is a strange combination of past and future. But although the boys want to stand out and not conform, they are ironically conforming within their own group. The weird clothes and make-up are components of their uniform, which exist mainly to control people in a militant fashion. They are fighting fire with fire. And if the make-up is an equality statement, then it is ironic also. The boys do not want to be equal to everyone else they like to be different.And they do not want equal rights they believe that they have, or should have, more rights, and can therefore defy the law through acts of violence. The message that Burgess is lay across here is ambiguous. Either he could be saying that too much state control will eventually force a violent revolution, and therefore the government should relax, which is probably the most parking lot belief. Or his warning could be the opposite he is saying that if the government give in and lot extra rights to everybody, then in the future there will be someone, somewhere, who h as, or wants, more rights.I prefer to believe the latter theory. Burgess was not for violent revolution of any kind. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening prediction of the world to come if it continues to grant people so much power, and not a warning of how the world will be if state control continued. Eventually all of this freedom would necessitate state control, as it exists in Alexs time. Burgess was for a certain degree of control the use of Russian words in his novel, as explained above, is evidence for this. Although few people would agree with me, that is what I believe.Burgesss novel was indeed written as a warning to those in his time. But despite the frightening depiction of state control, I do not think Burgess was so opposed to it as some people claim. I would only say that the totalitarian regime of Alexs time is an example of an extreme form of state control that is certainly wrong, but only because of its severity. Burgesss warning was not aimed at the government it was aimed at those who dreamt of revolution. Only one thing is certain the connotations are clear, and A Clockwork Orange is definitely not just a fantasy novel.