Book reviews

A Clockwork Orange
Anthony Burgess Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography History
Anthony Burgess Books
New book search
Anthony Burgess Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of A Clockwork Orange
"Anthony Burgess' "A Clockwork Orange" is a story about choice, told in a humorous, yet very disturbing manner. Alex, the humble narrator, is a violent, wild youth who cares nothing for the harm he causes other people. To him, its nothing more than a game. But when he is finally taken in by the proper authorities, he enters a strange treatment program that will turn him into a fully functional citizen. Or so they think."
Pamela Piarowski, Resident Scholar

"Alex is a violent young man who enjoys drugs, Beethoven, rape, theft, assaulting others and general mayhem. His group of friends betray him to the police and he is sent to be reformed. The methods used to make Alex more sociably acceptable are unpleasant indeed and you will end up wondering whetehr the criminal or the punishment is most disturing. A tale of free will and the importance of being able to chose. The book uses a fictional slang "nadsat' which includes elements of Russian and some archaic English - it does take quite a bit of getting used to."
Bryn Pearson, Resident Scholar

"The setting of A Clockwork Orange is in the near future, where the world is a dangerous place and, at night, gangs come out to rob and rape people. Alex, the main character, is one of these people. He is the vicious leader of a gang that kills without remorse. Alex hurts one of his members, which causes the rest of the gang members to consider teaching Alex a lesson in equality. Eventually, when they are robbing a house, as they usually do, they hurt him and turn him over to the police. After a year, Alex is the first subject of the Ludovico Technigque, which associates hurting someone with pain. They condition him to feel horrible, nauseating pain whenever he thinks of hurting someone. He is robbed of choice, he cannot choose to be "good" or "bad", he is forced to be "good". This book is about choice, and Burgess was afraid that that the government would oppress the citizens. "
Yuriy Bash, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of A Clockwork Orange
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - depressed
Time/era of story - near future
Political/social activism Yes
Plotlet: - surviving repressive dictatorship
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Gender - Male
Age: - a teen
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - society

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 (a fair amount)
United States Yes
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
City? Yes
City: - dangerous
Misc setting - prison

Style
Person - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - very explicit references to deaths and torture
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - touching of anatomy - descript. of female anat. (the big B's) - descript. of nude males (the big P) - rape/molest (yeech!)
Most similar books to A Clockwork Orange
Plague Journal by Michael D. O'Brien
Eclipse of the Sun by Michael D. O'Brien
The Ten Snaps of Christmas by Maeve Binchy
China Mountain Zhang by Maureen F. McHugh
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut


Click here for more information about this book


Anthony Burgess Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Julie M  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Literature books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal story

Crime & Police story

Ethnic/regional/gender life

Exploring into the wild

Family, caring for ill

Family, loving relations

Family, struggle with

Internal struggle/realization?

Job/Profession/Status story

Kids growing up/acting up?

Political/social activism

Poverty, surviving

Pregnancy/Child rearing

Religion theme?

Romance/Romance Problems

Sports Story?

War/Revolt/Disaster on civilians



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
Feedback
About us
Bribe your congressman!
Rudy Giuliani



Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
.
Kate Brian 5:25:02 PM
Ruth Minsky Sender 3:34:26 PM
Charlaine Harris 2:46:27 PM
Gerald Morris 2:00:08 PM
Iris Johanson 1:27:13 PM
Sue Grafton 1:23:14 PM
Chinua Achebe 11:46:27 AM
Terry Goodkind 10:19:00 AM
Lynn and Gilbert Morris 10:28:16 PM
Charlotte Vale Allen 10:01:03 PM
Charlotte Vale Allen 9:59:10 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 7:18:08 PM
Suzanne Weyn 5:37:37 PM
Suzanne Collins 3:45:18 PM
Deric Longden 2:26:59 PM
V.C. Andrews 2:24:44 PM
J.D. Robb 2:18:51 PM
Margaret Peterson Haddix 12:17:33 PM
Anne Schraff 12:01:20 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 9:27:35 AM

More message boards