A Clockwork Orange (1971): Morality and ‘being human’

Set against a backdrop of early 1970s political fears, and the perceived threat of a communist uprising from the Soviet Union, Stanley Kubrick’s film, A Clockwork Orange seeks not only to critique this but also to highlight the rising anarchy in the youth of the time. Originally based on Anthony Burgess’ book of the same title, A Clockwork Orange got its name from the Cockney phrase ‘queer as a clockwork orange’ used to describe something strange and unusual; this appealed to Burgess as he viewed it as something natural and organic being corrupted and essentially turned into something almost robotic, much like its central character, Alex. 

Alex is a character emptied of all sense of self after his ‘treatment’ which associates his favourite of Beethoven’s symphonies with images of death and destruction. The symphony in question forms such a fundamental part of Alex’s personality that this ‘treatment’ could, then, be interpreted as the symbolic destruction of his sense of identity. For both Burgess and Kubrick, this scene reflects the social anxiety that the youth of the time have nothing to live for, and this nihilism presents a danger to society.

A Clockwork Orange is a notable Kubrick film which fascinated audiences with its glorification of gratuitous violence, and its outlandish and futuristic production. It is a dark, dystopian film set in a twisted contemporary near-future and emphasises the importance of free will in being human. Centering on a deplorable main character, Alex DeLarge, (who is barbarically violent and almost animalistic) the film originally generated mass controversy and public distaste due to its lurid brutality but, to the point of being banned. Since then, it has become an interesting perspective on socio political fears of the time.

The world Kubrick introduces us to is an unsupervised and decrepit one. This is often showcased with flat, wide shots being used to make everything seem bland and impersonal despite the obvious appreciation for art, which at first glance seems ironic, but a closer look reveals that art seems to be a symbol of individualism. As if these houses are the only thing, apart from crime that allows people to express themselves. Often, the houses are engulfed by bright colours, emulating the ‘retro 60s aesthetic’, yet the placement and general build of the set is very minimalistic, which combines to create a world which feels almost alien. A clear example of this unsettling and uncanny world can be seen in the reception of the prison Alex is sent to, which has walls unnecessarily cramped with boxes despite having a massive amount of empty, unused space. Another example is the nameless ‘cat lady’s’ house; we only see her living room in detail but despite this we still get a clear image of her wealth due to the deep, eye-catching green and reds which are sprawled across the otherwise large and barren room. These colours, combined with gold embellishments on the fireplace and doors and the many pieces of art she displays present her obvious love for materialistic objects whilst simultaneously being almost stripped of all other possessions, as if she is stripped of her self-expression in wider society. 

With overly sexualised artwork scattered through living spaces, Kubrick seems to place emphasis on the animalism of humankind. This makes the environment seem like a breeding ground for the kind of behaviour Alex and his ‘droogs’ get up to.

On a similar note, the debate of whether Alex is simply a product of a violent pubescent mind in a world which seems to encourage hypersexuality, is analysed. The film highlights humanity’s carnal nature, often showcasing gross displays of corruption, violence, rape, and anger - not just within Alex’s own enterprise but also in the world around him, in the media and in politics. Alex is the perfect example of a character ruled by Id. His actions bear very little logic or thought process; they are often simply for his own pleasure or because the opportunity was placed in front of him. But, it mustn't be ignored that despite his evident lack of reasoning, he still makes the decision to act on these impulses and this presents the crux of the film. It is as if Alex makes the choice to act purely on his animalistic instinct, ignoring the moral conventions and approval of society; it could be argued he is almost ‘too human’ to be a functioning member of society. 

The ‘Ludovico Treatment’ Alex is subject to, forces him to eliminate this choice as he becomes detested by the thought of evil acts, essentially suppressing his freewill. In a world which values scientific advancements over ethical code, crime is deemed as a pestilence that must be washed out in any way possible. The irony in this is the idea that this instinctive evil resides in all of humankind, simply presenting itself in different forms (see Alex’s ‘post-corrective advisor’ and the police officers who beat him up in the jail when he is first arrested). Even people placed in political or social power, who are credited for their works in stopping crime, are riddled with unabashed cruelty. When Alex is reformed, the society around him is unable to accept him as this and instead labels him as somebody who now deserves an eternal retribution for his crimes. Even the people such as the writer, Frank Alexander who originally intended on helping him, had deeper, more selfish motives. This conveys the idea that evil is an inherent part of ‘being human’, it is inescapable and suppression only leads to it presenting itself in different forms and aspects of life.

So if this evil is so entrenched within us all, the idea of removing it begs the question of whether the end product can even be considered human at all. This is seamlessly reflected in the central quote of both the film and novel, “when a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man”. ‘A Clockwork Orange’ uses dark comedy to trivialise and satirise governmental and societal obsession with making the world an entirely good place - ignoring the balance which demands the existence of evil and emphasises the importance of human being’s ability to choose the ways of their own morality. 

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