A Clockwork Orange

          The novel that I chose to read for our review is "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess. I suppose at the time it was written the genre would have been science fiction but all these years later it's kind of tough to pinpoint. I would categorize it as a psychological drama of sorts, seeing as it was it was most likely meant to be set in or even well behind our present time, science fiction just doesn't seem accurate.
          I would say that one of the central themes in the novel is the concept of youth run amok in society. In a broader sense I believe that this book is about human being's capacity for evil and the question of if one can truly be forced to change.
          It is kind of tough to determine, but if I had to guess, I would say that the title "A Clockwork Orange" refers to the disparity between what is seen on the outside and what is actually lurking under the surface. In other words, at first glance you may just see an orange or a teenage boy, but under the surface lurks a cold mechanical heart or the mind of a psychopath.
          The main reason I selected this book is the fact that the 1971 film by director Stanly Kubrick is easily one of my favorite of all time. From the brilliant cinematography to the amazing performance of Malcolm Mcdowell as the main character Alex, the film is nearly flawless in my eyes. I have been meaning to get around to reading the novel for years but now I actually have a real reason to do so.