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Summary: a truly horrowshow book-you wont be let down
Review: jump into the mind of little alex and prepare to be caught by the whirlwind. you'll follow this 'humble narrator' as he tramples and stomps his way through a world he thinks he can control... you'll get inside his head and travel the ups and downs in the peak of nadsat fashion... burgess thrusts readers into a unique, futuristic world where young evildoers rule the streets (at first you may feel a bit lost in the language but by the second chapter you'll find your footing and by the end you'll read the talk as if youve known it all along). this book will stir up your mind, questioning ideas like human tendencies towards good/evil and the gov'ts constant manipulation and yearning for ultimate control --definitely a stimulating and satisfying read (quick one too-it took me all of 3 days) go for it!
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Summary: A Misunderstood Classic
Review: Personally, This Is One Of My Favorite Books. I Think That Many People Are Turned Away From This Book Due To The Extremely Violent Content And Horrific Crimes Described Herein, But, Beneath The Violence And Crime Is A Masterpiece That Gives A Terrifying Vision Of A Possible Future and Poses An Important Moral Question. The Book Has Some Connections To Christianity That Are Represented Mainly Through The Prison Chaplain. The Big Moral Dilemma Of The Book Is Expressed Through The Title. Alex(The Narrator), Is Subjected To A Treatment In Prison In Which He Is Shown Films Of Violence And Sex, While Strapped To A Chair With His Eyes Forced Open And While Feeling Extreme Nausea, Fear, Discomfort, And Feelings Of Paralysis. After Alex Gets The Treatment In Prison, He Becomes A "Clockwork Orange," Something That Appears To Be Alive But Is In Fact Mechanical. The Treatment Forces Alex To Be A Non-Violent, Non-Sexual person. Just The Thought Of Sex Or Violence Causes Him To Become Incapacitaded By Feelings Of Extreme Nausea And Severe Discomfort. Alex No Longer Has The Freedom To Choose How To Behave And He Becomes A Slave To Fear, The Fear Of The Effects Of The Treatment. Consequently, These Feelings Also Appear When Alex Hears His One True Love In Life, The Music Of Beethoven. This Is Due to The Fact That One Of The Treatment Films Had A Piece By Beethoven Playing In The Background. The Chaplain Sums Up The Main Theme Of The Book In One Statement: Is A Person Truly Good If They Have No Choice Between Good Or Bad Behavior, And Are Forced To Do No Wrong. Basically, The Theme Is The Connection Between Living And Freedom. It Seems To Me That What Burgess Is Trying To Say Is That People Are Not Truly Alive If They Do Not Have The Freedom To Choose How To Live Their Lives, And Without This Choice, Are Nothing But Machines That Have The Characteristics Of Human Beings. I Couldn't Agree More.
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Summary: Fun and thought provoking
Review: I thought that the nasdat slang made this book more fun to read. It wasn't really all that difficult to figure out, and yet it was still diffrent enough to make you think and focus on what you were reading. The moral issues which this book revolves around were intriguing and thought provoking. I would recommend this book.
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Summary: Stunning examination of both language and psychology
Review: I read this book to benefit my A-level cousework on dystopian fiction - and finishied A Clockwork Orange safe in the knowledge that it is probably one of the most psychologically enriching reads I have ever experienced. Burgess' creative manipulation of language slang and structure is astoundingly catchy - he delicately entrapps the reader (through the use of language and 1st person narrative) into the deceptively vicious world of Alex. He is the "anti-hero" who has been reformed by the state - using new "scientific methods" - to end his diabolical orgy of rape, torture and murder. Towards the end of the book, however, you find yourself despising the government for having used Alex as an organic guinnea pig, even though "Ludovico's Syndrome" (which involves making the criminal look at horrific images of extreme sadistic torture until they become almost "accustomed" to the eventual sickness they feel) is actually reforming Alex to be a socially acceptable citizen. Of course, it is evident almost from the start of the book you are in the hands of a master craftsman of literature - a craftsman who carefully, almost delicately, constructs an enormously important argument which will blow you away with it's absolute social relevance and gravity.
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Summary: i love this book
Review: This book was excellent i found it very exciting and the plot was excellent.Dedicated to Mr. Norling
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Summary: A GREAT BOOK IN A QUICK READ
Review: The language in this book is so awesome. At first it was difficult then after the third chapter I was able to get throght it easily. The book questions whether someone can be completly evil or completly good and at what costs can you change someone. The end of the book will really having you thinking. You feel discourged by the language at first stick with the book you'll be happy you did. If your really having trouble go online and search for a nadsat translator. That's the language in the book. After you read it rent the movie!
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Summary: difficult to follow
Review: A good writer is able to create entire worlds, entire histories for their works. A great writer is able to explain everything with little confusion. The ideas are intense in Burgess' classic work but the nature of this intensity, the radical differences and strong slang, undermine the ability of the reader to enjoy and follow along. Not a book to read for fun, but it raises some powerful questions about society and the individual, where do my rights interfer with yours and visa versa.
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Summary: REQUIERED READING YOU WON'T MIND
Review: Alex LaBarge, the central character, is a typical teen in this futuristic novel. He and his friends go to a milk bar to talk, and have a drink, and discuss what to do with the night. Such as whether to attack an old man or rob a store. And after stealing a car, what should be done with it? Just average kids doing what kids do. When Alex is betrayed by his so-called friends and caught by the police is where the novel becomes truly frightening. The deeds Alex committed are nothing compared to what is done to him in the attempt to cure his wicked mind. He is left with no defenses against the world, the image of a perfect citizen without any chance of surviving the reality he is released into. After many of the people he has abused exact their revenge, Alex is returned to his natural, sociopath self. This is where the Kubrickian (or American) version ends. However, Burgess intended the last chapter to show a mature Alex who finds himself thinking of family and a new course in life. This novel is an amazing glimpse into one human's experience. Though not the author's favorite, it is mine. The statement about society and violence and psychological treatments is impossible to miss. This is a classic. Though the language is at first hard to grasp, it is worth the effort.
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Summary: A Clockwork Orange is a real "horrorshow" example of society
Review: A Clockwork Orange was probably the best book I have ever read. It's an eye opening tale about a boy Alex and his odd path of life. Despite the violence that many people have commented on, I found it necessary to have inorder to do the story any justice, in regards to what Burgess has to say about society. To help help the story out, Burgess softened the violence by adding tons of humor to his characters, regarding their actions and even the hard to follow slang they used. As I read more and more into the book I began to follow what each of the characters were referring to when they used their slang, my friends and I even began to use some of the terminology in our every day conversations. I also suggest watching the movie after the book is read. Despite Burgess' dislike to how the movie was done, I thought it shined a light on the character of Alex and made you want to see more. All in all, to anyone who comes upon any negative comments about the book, disregard them. This is a story that you have to witness on your own. To some it might have a great impact and to others they might find it distastful. Personally, I think Burgess was a genius and wrote a great masterpiece.
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Summary: Of course it's worth reading, Lads
Review: Fiction is always hard to review because it really is up to the opinion of the individual. BUt I say this book is worth reading simply because of its literal fame. I don't need to harp on the fact that this was Burgess' least favorite of his works that just happened to become popular, especially after the release of the movie. Read it for your own good, and judge it as you would any work of fiction. Beware the slang and terminology, which can deter the unsuspecting reader. A good story nonetheless, but I can understand why Burgess cared less for it than his other works. There are better Burgess works out there.
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