A Clockwork Orange Essay: Alex's Identity

Freedom to have an identity A Clockwork Orange was first published in 1962 and features a futuristic society, but yet it can still be related back to the modern day. Burgess demonstrates, through the main character of Alex, that it is necessary to be free to form an identity in order to have a genuine existence be it a good or evil one. When Alex is first introduced to the reader he is the self-appointed leader of a local group of hooligans, who have decided that the law does not apply to them. Alex knows who he is and relishes in his reputation of being a negative member of society."Alex knows he is evil, telling readers, "What I do I do because I like to do." The novel implies his degree of insight is greater than most people's insight. He accepts himself for who he is, rather than hiding behind illusions of what he should be according to others and the government.” (Clockwork). He does not experience any guilt over his actions despite assaulting, terrorizing, and raping people just because he

“To fully grasp the human condition, Burgess implies in A Clockwork Orange, individuals must both recognize and accept their evil nature and recognize how society attempts to stifle it." (Clockwork). The way a person handles themselves and their environment is how their personality and identity is formed, but sometimes outside forces attempt to alter those as they believe it’ll benefit themselves or society better. "Alex's frequent address to his readers, "Oh, my brothers," implies the readers' collusion in Alex's violent projects" (Lowe-Evans), meaning that the reader should also be able to identify with the evil aspect of Alex’s personality. The level of violence shown in A Clockwork Orange may not be relatable universally but it is something the human form is capable of, and there are examples