Alex Delarge and How He Relates to This Twentieth Century Continental French Philosophy

A final characteristic I wish to focus on is the absurdity and indifference of the world. Like many other existential heroes, Alex eventually realizes how the world does not care about him. After all his suffering, he realizes how cruel the world truly is. As he mentioned in the beginning of Part III, he becomes aware that nobody loves him. He makes the same realization that Meursault and the Underground Man makes. He, though, responds differently. Instead of accepting it and simply living with it, Alex cannot stand it. He accepts it, but he cannot live with it. And so, he makes the drastic decision to take away his own life and end all the suffering. But, we all know that did not work out.

A Clockwork Orange is not an existential novel. Although it may have characteristics of existentialism, and I do admit that previous existentialist writers influenced my thought, I never intended it be an existential novel. Unlike Notes from the Underground or Nausea, my novel is not blatantly existential or philosophical. It simply touches on a few topics here and there. Nevertheless, Alex DeLarge is decidedly an existential hero. He is the one that has had “laws and conditions appropriate a mechanical creation” imposed upon him. Yet, he fights back with his individuality and will. And through this fight, he realizes many important lessons. It is not F. Alexander, but Alex DeLarge who “raises [his] sword-pen” against tyranny and restrictions of freedom. Thank you.

Works Cited

Burgess, Anthony. A Clockwork Orange. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1986.