Bookstagram: a unique and original perspective upon A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess)

Created by James R., Anna, Saje, Gillian, Avery – Eng 12 Honors, Fall 2019

Alcohol bottle 

Alex uses alcohol as a way to find an alibi by buying drinks for older women at the bar. By doing so, the women at the bar are willing to vouch for him when the police are collecting suspects for crimes. Alcohol amplifies his joy of committing his crimes, also acting as a ritual for Alex. The bottle represents his manipulative nature, and reckless way of life.

Music (Sheets and record) 

Classical music, specifically Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, has been a recurring representation of his appreciation of finer things despite his violent nature. It displayed his humanity but turned against him in the middle of the book. Music grounds Alex, however, at the correctional facility they used it against him. It is shown that he has emotions during the violent scenes. 

Alex idolizes Beethoven, seeing himself at the same level of fame; seeing himself as a conductor of the gang. When others bad mouthed Beethoven, he sees it as an offense to himself. 

It humanizes him. He got mad when others bad mouthed Beethoven. 

Chai 

Chai in the book is a word for tea. We feel that when chai is mentioned it is used as a connection from Alex’s very different and fictitious world to our own, just as his classical music. Chai is mentioned or used in the book the few times Alex is more relaxed, as opposed to the drugs and alcohol that he uses heavily.

Boot

Though the time this booked was based in is not specified, according to Alex, large boots are the height of fashion for young people, especially those who take pleasure in violence. Alex enjoys a variety of gruesome activities, however he feels that when ‘he kicks rots (mouth/teeth) in’, he should look stylish while doing it.

Eyes

Although Alex commits many appalling crimes, he should not be forcibly reformed and his freedom of choice shouldn’t be taken away. Because Alex lacks many human emotions for others, when the correctional facility takes away his ability to choose, dehumanizing him even further. One of the only notable human parts of him, his love for music, is used against him, leaving him without a way to express himself. 

Cigarette and Lighter

The cigarette and lighter represent how committing crimes and violence is habitual for Alex, it has almost become a routine for him to go out each night and rob, rape, or commit other crimes.

Torn up pages (of A Clockwork Orange) 

The pages are in references to the torn up book pages of the man when he broke into his house and raped his wife. He most likely tears up the pages because of his intense anger of wanting to ruin everything in the man’s life, not just his physical being but his possessions that are clearly important and have a greater sentimental meaning. Alex’s home life is completely normal, therefore he feels the need to find ways to express angst in his young teenaged and young adult years.

Chaos

We laid out our Bookstagram with many objects that seem to clutter the image. In ‘A Clockwork Orange’, it represents how Alex’s mind is displayed in a chaotic way.