Critique of Mainstream Culture in Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange

Abstract

This research intends to expose how mainstream culture puts restrictive measures on the fresh longing of youths for individual freedom and creative pursuit. Alex, the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange, is in search for freedom. He wants to live his life in accordance with his own choice and preference. But the dominant structure of mainstream society pressurizes him to conform to the demands and requirements of mainstream culture. Frustrated and fed up with the tendency of mainstream culture to repress the spontaneous longing of youths in their teens, Alex leads a group of wild teenage boys and act wildly. Their wild activities consist of burglary, theft, harassment, sexual assault and social unrest. Alex is now mature enough to understand the connection between violence and youth. He compares youth to clockwork wind-up toys that move forward straight lines. Earlier in his life, violence has served as an affirmation of Alex’s free will. But as he grows older, Alex realizes that only through suffering can he truly be capable of making meaningful moral choices. Alex thinks of his future son in this way because he does not expect his son to listen to any of the lessons Alex has to teach him. According to Alex, youths will always have to suffer its own mistakes. At this point, Alex realizes he is no longer young. When the social restriction and cultural doctrinarian reach the limit, individual would have the right to revolt through deviant acts like abnormality and anti-social activities.