clockwork

I began reading my 2nd book, the clockwork orange..... me likey.....

Anthony Burgess' brutal and cruel novel has everything I could hope for in a book. Only 2 chapters in, I have already encountered a rape, a beating, and swear words. These are exactly the kind of events that are needed to keep my interest in a book. The nadsat language serves as a minor obstacle as some sentences are deemed incomprehensible - but only an extra minute is needed to look up the unknown word on a nadsat translator . Burgess' characters are unique and original, which adds a greater aspect to the novel. Alex DeLarge, the leader of the "droogs" and narrator of the story, shows ironic characteristics and does things that directly contradict eachother. For example, he has no problem storming into an innocent couple's house, destroying the man's life work and terrorizing the house after beating both the man and woman nearly to a bloody pulp. He feels remorse, however, for several older women in a bar who beg for his mercy. Instead of assaulting them and leaving them near death, which is what I had guessed, he used up his last dollars to buy them fancy food and drink. Although the reader is later shown his alterior motive in keeping the old women quiet when they were questioned by the police, DeLarge still admits to feeling good about himself after he does the good deed. "Makes you feel real dobby," he said after the ladies had thanked him (dobby means good in nadsat). Another interesting character is Dim. Dim is my favorite character in the novle for his sluggish and stupid reputation that his fellow droogs have pinned on him. He seems to be, however, the best fighter out of the four. He comes out of every fight the bloodiest but does the most damage. After one event, he attempted to "dung on the floor." Now that's good stuff. About 40 pages through, I am reading at a record setting pace for my usual sluggish reading speed because of the eventful start to the novel. I hope the pace keeps up - although I see a possibly reform of these hoodlums after they realize the harm that they are causing. I hope that doesn't happen.
Slammy Out