The language that Burgess invents for Alex serves three clear functions at least and probably more. First, like all youths and youth gangs, they construct their own slang language. One need look no further then the local school yard or documentaries on gangs to verify this. In fact, many “inclusive” groups do this and Burgess is aware of this. Second, because Burgess makes Alex a despicable character, one who violates the most treasured of common decency, i.e raping children, among other horrendous deeds, Burgess needed to create some distance between our current everyday language because it would skew the attitude about Alex to far and thus not allow him to generate any sympathy for him as the novel concludes. Alex’s redemption is a crucial point of the books and if Burgess uses common language to describe the horrific behavior, his redemption, his growth, his own cognition that his behavior was abhorrent, might be otherwise lost or ignored by the readers. Third, the book is very musical. Obviously Alex loves music and musicality is part of the book. Note how each section begins with the same refrain—typical in music. Also, notice how he describes this love of the music. In fact, read out loud and the words themselves are musical; they had sonorous quality and thus music-like.
Do you find the book modern? It seems to me that Burgess could say well the way things were going in society and presented the world to us. It is a cautionary tale really, about what we, as society, should not do—try to brainwash its citizens into passivity, although you know many would absolutely leap at this chance.
So my little droog, what’s it going to be then, eh?
The language that Burgess invents for Alex serves three clear functions at least and probably more. First, like all youths and youth gangs, they construct their own slang language. One need look no further then the local school yard or documentaries on gangs to verify this. In fact, many “inclusive” groups do this and Burgess is aware of this. Second, because Burgess makes Alex a despicable character, one who violates the most treasured of common decency, i.e raping children, among other horrendous deeds, Burgess needed to create some distance between our current everyday language because it would skew the attitude about Alex to far and thus not allow him to generate any sympathy for him as the novel concludes. Alex’s redemption is a crucial point of the books and if Burgess uses common language to describe the horrific behavior, his redemption, his growth, his own cognition that his behavior was abhorrent, might be otherwise lost or ignored by the readers. Third, the book is very musical. Obviously Alex loves music and musicality is part of the book. Note how each section begins with the same refrain—typical in music. Also, notice how he describes this love of the music. In fact, read out loud and the words themselves are musical; they had sonorous quality and thus music-like.
ReplyDeleteDo you find the book modern? It seems to me that Burgess could say well the way things were going in society and presented the world to us. It is a cautionary tale really, about what we, as society, should not do—try to brainwash its citizens into passivity, although you know many would absolutely leap at this chance.
So my little droog, what’s it going to be then, eh?