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Criticism of a clockwork orange
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The Beauty of Evil and Its Purpose
The essence of evil is a prominent force that is present in human nature so strongly, it controls the ways many choose to act. The sole idea of evil is one that most people feel afraid of, or something that they feel inclined to stay away from. However, most people do not pay attention to the ways in which evil is a necessity, one which balances itself out with the essence of goodness. While violence may be an idea that is for the most part frowned upon, it can be a power that helps to bring consciousness to the flaws that society would face if evil were to be completely nonexistent. Anthony Burgess and Flannery O’ Connor both utilize the idea that evil is a necessary fragment of human nature, as is goodness, by creating characters whose wickedness is needed in order for there to be a proper balance to the world.
In many cases, the evil acts one may commit cannot be explained by the person who commits them or by anyone else. Sometimes there is a compulsion to be violent and those who give into the impulses they feel are then free to act out as they please. In the novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Alex is a character who most would consider to be a dreadful and unlikable person due to the constant evil deeds he feels the urge to commit. His acts of violence seem mostly unwarranted, as he simply breaks into homes and beats random people, even a homeless man. The beauty behind his violent actions is the fact that they were all done by choice, something that all other people seem to not have. After having the Ludovico’s Technique get rid of his tendencies for evil, he becomes almost sub-human like the rest of the society. He says, “But the not-self cannot have the bad, meanin...
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...resent in today’s society and provides a meaningful purpose.
The entire idea of evilness is a force that cannot be taken away from the nature of humans, it is a part of who we are and helps to define us. It is generally something that most will try to avoid due to the nature of it, but it has been ingrained into society in a way that helps to balance its functionality. It is not a power that is to be ignored or destroyed, but one that is looked at as a form of individuality that helps to call out the reality of a society in which evil is nonexistent. Anthony Burgess and Flannery O’Connor both utilize the theme of the necessity of evil by creating and using characters whose evil acts were necessary in order for them to display the unrealistic idea of having a perfect society or being the perfect person, bringing a powerful balance to their respective societies.
evil by many of the characters. Henry Louis Mencken once said, "It is a sin
The word evil is defined as profoundly immoral and malevolent. The immoral or unethical things we sometimes find ourselves doing are a result of desperation, confusion and anger. Once we realize what our actions have become, we either feel relieved or guilty, afraid of the possible outcome. Our first instincts are to try and cover up our immoral actions with actions that in our minds will fix the problem; more immoral thoughts and actions. Honesty and truth seem so distant in these situations as our desperation and fear of judgment direct our irrational choices. In Macbeth, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth experience the guilt of their role in the King’s death. As a result, Macbeth does not admit to his crime for fear of his life being taken, but instead plots against Banquo to cover his tracks. Though murder is an extreme case, the same thoughts and morals apply in the situations we face everyday. A lie, in fear of the consequences, can cause more pain and guilt than we intended thus another lie is created which adds strength to the first lie. Evil is a strong word, when heard it creates...
Everyone remembers the nasty villains that terrorize the happy people in fairy tales. Indeed, many of these fairy tales are defined by their clearly defined good and bad archetypes, using clichéd physical stereotypes. What is noteworthy is that these fairy tales are predominately either old themselves or based on stories of antiquity. Modern stories and epics do not offer these clear definitions; they force the reader to continually redefine the definitions of morality to the hero that is not fully good and the villain that is not so despicable. From Dante’s Inferno, through the winding mental visions in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, spiraling through the labyrinth in Kafka’s The Trial, and culminating in Joyce’s abstract realization of morality in “The Dead,” authors grapple with this development. In the literary progression to the modern world, the increasing abstraction of evil from its classic archetype to a foreign, supernatural entity without bounds or cure is strongly suggestive of the pugnacious assault on individualism in the face of literature’s dualistic, thematically oligopolistic heritage.
Very few modern or even classical novels present a psychological tale like that presented in Anthony Burgess's magnum opus and controversial novel, A Clockwork Orange. The novel follows the protagonist and narrator, Alex, who is not a given a surname until the film adaptation. Alex, while the protagonist of the novel, is a violent person up to the second to last chapter of the novel. However, the underlying psychology behind every one of Alex's actions rings true and presents a compelling argument about the nature of free will, violence, and what makes a man human.
Evil is defined as being profoundly immoral of malevolent. Being faced with evil is can be challenging especially when the person is unaware that it is present. In the Play Othello by William Shakespeare and the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, Othello and Ralph are faced with the challenge of evil. Othello is an outsider of Venice coming from South Africa that is sometimes ridiculed based on the color of his skin; yet earned the title of respect with his intelligence, courage, and skills. Othello’s insecurities and him not knowing when evil is looking him straight in the eye, leads him to his down falling. Ralph... Both characters in the beginning act in a moral manner, until the end of the stories when both characters have been
Has evil always been around, or did man create it? One could trace evil all the way back to Adam and Eve; however, evil came to them, but it was not in them. When did evil become part of a person? No one knows, but evil has been around for a long time and unfortunately is discovered by everyone. In many great classics in literature evil is at the heart or the theme of the novel, including Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. This classic book demonstrates the growing up of two children in the South and illustrates the theme of evil by showing how they discover, how they deal, and how they reconcile themselves to the evils they experience.
Evil is a popular theme in many novels and plays, and there are many factors that contribute to characters becoming evil. Factors such as no interaction with people and the way someone is treated can turn a person to become evil and commit bad acts. The person may start out as a selfless person with good morals, but eventually he will turn evil as a result of outside factors. Some factors might be isolation, the way he is treated by others, and motives. A person’s selfish needs often consume him and he wants nothing but to benefit himself. He will do anything to get what he wants and will eventually commit so many bad acts that he will turn purely evil. In the play Macbeth by Shakespeare and the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the characters
The evil nature of this individual is made manifest, and thus evil enters the story in a significant way.
Mankind is innately evil. The allegorical novel, The Lord of the Flies, allows for little interpretation about human nature. William Golding depicts the idea, “evil is an inborn trait of man” (Golding). Throughout the novel the children who have crash landed on the island begin to uncover their savage nature. Although all of the children somehow succumb to a heinous behaviour, Jack, Ralph, and Roger become most noticeably corrupt. Ultimately, it becomes clear that malicious intent is intrinsic in mankind.
Evil can be a scary thing many things can influence on why a person may be considered evil or do evil things.People do things because they were influenced by others or by their own selfish desires,
...n idea about the human psyche and the nature of evil. Throughout the novels, we have acts that were dubbed as evil. Some of these were: the acts of the rabbi’s son, the killing of Simon, and even the joy Eliezer felt at the death of his father. All of these points and the many that weren’t mentioned all shared a singular idea. It was that the ulterior motive of these acts revolved around people reacting on instinct and desire. From these, we gain the final message of the novel that was proven time and time again. This message was that evil isn’t an act that just isn’t moral. Evil is the primal, instinctual, an animalistic rage that lives in the darker part of our heart, a part of the heart that is brought to light upon the moment the chains of civilization are broken..... A moment where we fall prey to our instincts and our conscience disappears into the darkness.
This paper will explore the three elements of innate evil within William Golding's, Lord of the Flies, the change from civilization to savagery, the beast, and the battle on the island. Golding represents evil through his character's, their actions, and symbolism. The island becomes the biggest representation of evil because it's where the entire novel takes place. The change from civilization to savagery is another representation of how easily people can change from good to evil under unusual circumstances. Golding also explores the evil within all humans though the beast, because it's their only chance for survival and survival instinct takes over. In doing so, this paper will prove that Lord of the Flies exemplifies the innate evil that exists within all humans.
When anyone thinks of the word “evil” they do not think it is within themselves. In reality, without a structured and well-followed society, people are apt to follow their own corrupt desires and neglect the thought of consequence. In the allegory, Lord of the Flies, William Golding reveals that man’s selfishness and sinful nature will be unmasked when the structure of a society deteriorates.
Wicked, dishonorable, corrupt, villainous, malicious, and vicious all have one thing in common: they define evil. A person or a group of people that display these qualities are often to be defined as evil beings or creatures. Two people that have many of these characteristics developed within them are Iago from Shakespeare’s Othello and Lucifer from the Bible. Both Iago and Lucifer are developed with many “evil” qualities woven intricately into their character development. The representation of each “evil” characteristic gives them something they have in common allowing the description and portrayal of both Iago and Lucifer in literature show the audience they share common “evil” characteristics and that they lead to chaos and downfall.
A Psychological Analysis of Alex in A Clockwork Orange & nbsp; In A Clockwork Orange, Alex is portrayed as two different people living within the same body of mind. As a mischievous child raping the world, he was as seen as filth. His actions and blatant disrespect towards society are categorized under that of the common street bum. However, when he is away from his evening attire. he is that of suave.