A Clockwork Orange

In the wake of the war, English society underwent a series of rapid changes. A burgeoning youth culture was emerging—with a more accepting attitude toward drugs and sex—while the establishment remained entrenched in government. There was also a rise in mass media, technological development, and consumer culture. Alex, along with his droogs, consumes impressive amounts of drugs, from the spiked milk he drinks at the Korova Milkbar to the syringes and vials he keeps tucked away in his room. He is a throwback in one way, however: His love of classical music rather than the new rock-n-roll scene marks him as unique.

The expansion of media broadcasting, made possible by the launching of satellites, increased the reach of pundits, politicians, and those in the urban centers of power. As Alex walks by the many apartment buildings, he can see the “blue dancing light” that indicates the flicker of the television, or “telly” (22). He notes that “[t]onight was what they called a worldcast, meaning that the same programme was being viddied by everybody in the world that wanted to, that being mostly the middle-aged middle-class lewdies” (22). His observation points to a homogenization of cultural and political viewpoints as manipulated by mass media—an observation that one might make today with the rise of social media and its impact on sociopolitical polarization. Shortly thereafter, the gang happens upon an old movie theater with posters for the “usual cowboy riot, with the archangels on the side of the US marshal six-shooting at the rustlers” (23). This is a subtle reminder that the 20th century marked the decline of Great Britain­—due to its depressed economy, decolonization, and loss of world power—and the rise of American dominance. The 20th century is often referred to as the “American Century.” While Alex and his droogs never explicitly espouse any particular political viewpoint, the author deftly underscores the existential crisis that Britain grappled with at this time.

There are many other issues and social problems that are tangentially addressed in the novel, from the increased need for public housing to the excessive use of force by the police. The public housing in which Alex lives both highlights his lower socioeconomic status and reveals the less-than-ideal conditions of housing estates, as they are called in England. There is vandalism, violence, and rampant drug use within these crowded tower flats. Class is still a marker of social mobility and opportunity in a society that still operates under an aristocratic arrangement, complete with a monarchy and extended royal family. Alex and his ilk are so far removed from those centers of power that they have no practical impact on their lives. They only serve as vague objects against which to rebel.

In addition, England’s “bobbies”—so named because the formal police force was consolidated under the auspices of Prime Minister Robert Peel—famously patrolled without guns, yet Alex mentions near the end of the novel that his brand of street violence has been somewhat quelled by arming the police: “I suppose really a lot of the old ultra-violence and crasting was dying out now, the rozzes being so brutal [. . .] who could be more skorry with the nozh and the britva and the stick and even the gun” (212). In the interest of pursuing peace and order, Alex’s London has become ruled by police officers with guns—an emergent police state.

Perhaps the most lasting legacy of A Clockwork Orange exists in the film adaptation, released in 1971, written and directed by Stanley Kubrick. His vision emphasizes the theatrical nature of the violence committed by Alex and his droogs—their altercation with Billyboy and his gang takes place on a literal stage in the film—and downplays the violence inherent in Alex’s sexual assaults. The encounter between Alex and the young girls he meets in the record store (see Part 1, Chapter 4 Summary) is made to appear consensual rather than forced. The film also omits the final chapter, in which Alex considers leaving behind his youthful exploits and settling down with a family. Many more people have seen the film than have read the book, for good or for ill. In this way, Kubrick’s legacy coincides with the larger sweep of socio-historical change, wherein violence is glorified, modernity is assured, and extreme autonomy is valorized. Burgess expressed discontent with this result and would have preferred his audience believe in Alex’s capacity for change and the limits of antisocial behavior.