A Clockwork Orange opened up with one of the most confusing and disturbing first two chapters I have ever read. The main character, named Alex, apparently seems to be leader of a gang of three other guys, who he calls his droogs. Together, he Pete, Georgie and Dim roam the streets of what I assume to be New York and rape, steal and otherwise plunder innocent vecks.
Now, I, along with the rest of the group, was completely baffled by the lexicon that Alex uses. His words seem almost like gibberish mixed with slang, but in reality, his words are slang terms loosely copied from Russian. I found this page extremely helpful in deciphering a bit of what these guys have to say. But what intrigued me the most was why Anthony Burgess chose Russian.
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| Date: November, 1962 |
The fact that the society that Alex and his droogs inhabit, one of lawlessness, gang fights and illicit drugs, is intended to represent the American fear that the USSR could ruin American culture and poison everything that Americans hold dear (like alcohol).
Actually, that brings up a good point. Many Americans saw a communist takeover as oppressive, and would result in a restriction of their rights. In this pseudo-Soviet society, alcohol is banned, and as a result, Alex and his friends must resort to peeting their milk with "knives in it...and this would sharpen you up and make you ready for a bit of dirty twenty-to-one" (1). He also mentions armed policemen who roam the street, most likely to deter thugs like himself, every freedom-loving American's nightmare.
This brings me to my final point on the topic of Alex's lexicon. Burgess intentionally chose a language like Russian to flesh out the "otherworldly" aspect of his work. By using words like "vellocet" or "chelloveck," he creates a language that only a few people will understand. Even if someone DID understand Russian, it might be hard to recognize the changes that Burgess makes to the words. In effect, Burgess creates a new language simply by replacing a few words, and forcing the reader to figure out what the words mean in the context of the otherwise normal English (which is also somewhat odd, I'll discuss that later).
You make several very interesting points, Brich. There are many aspects of this society that suggest a Soviet takeover has occurred. In the most recent reading, we learn that all adults are required to work during the day, much like one would expect of a communist society. Alex's mother also works in a "Statemart" which is described as a grocery store, probably owned by the state. These communist qualities support your theory of a Soviet takeover.
ReplyDeleteAlex's obvious hatred for government restrictions on his freedom sheds a new light on his actions. In no way are his atrocities justified, but we begin to understand his mentality when he says "the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self," the "self" seeming to mean the individual (40). If I am understanding correctly, Alex hates the government's restrictions on his freedom because they do not permit his violence and consequently do not permit him to be himself.
I think that the supposed connection that this book draws to the Cold War is very interesting. It exemplifies the fear of the time, and magnifies people's, at times, somewhat outrageous concerns. This idea of drawing upon real fears in dystopian novels is a common one. It can most obviously be seen in The Handmaids Tale, where the author is clearly writing in reaction the the evolution of the youth culture and the women's movement in the 1970's and 80's. I think that these connections to history make it easier for readers, as outsiders, to gain insight into the novel, and more important to the historical periods that these authors are a product of.
ReplyDeleteBrian, I found your comments on the role of alcohol pretty interesting. I remember learning last year about how the Soviets had banned alcohol in the Soviet Union for some time, and how that was really problematic because the standard of life was so low. In banning alcohol, the Soviets were taking away the one thing that the citizens really enjoyed. Additionally, government revenue took a hit, because of the removal of alcohol sales. I think the mixing of language you mention is also interesting in terms of how it relates to the mixing of culture, and the increasingly global society in which we live. I would be interested in hearing more about the society as a whole within which Alex lives (as it's true that he's not necessarily the norm?).
ReplyDeleteThese ideas are all really interesting, Brian (and other commenters!). I wonder, though, if Burgess is suggesting that communism creates someone like Alex, a violent and almost deranged individual, as he is born from the restrictions of the oppressive government. Or does that violence already exist in the comparatively lawless society of capitalism? The government parallel is a profound one, but I also see a connection to the idea of youth culture, that we express rebellion and reject authority in our youth (best seen when Alex fights the author and learns about the idea of "the clockwork orange") but change that perspective as time goes on.
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