A writer must be able to articulate his own experience, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he can be a citizen of everywhere. For instance, John Steinbeck wouldn't be able to pen "The Grapes of Wrath" if he didn't spend a considerable time with the Okies. He won't be the only one who tried to lend a voice to disenfranchised groups, who couldn't articulate their own feelings (or issues for that matter). One must move around, if not travel, where the experience could give a sense of self. It also enables one not to shirk from unfamiliar, if not unpleasant, areas. How about teenagers? They could be one of those groups, and they were often the misunderstood ones. Anthony Burgess lent them a unique voice.
"A Clockwork Orange" was a dystopian novel about disenchanted teenagers, who have a language of their own. Readers would be curious about it, if not amused at how they were able to come up with expressions that adults hardly comprehend at all. Nadsat, which Burgess would be the term for their dialect, became their source of refuge. Stanley Kubrick, who adapted the book to the big screen, perfectly captured the violent aspects. He omitted the final chapter, where Alex was able to leave behind his ultra-violent days. He simply grew out of it, which may catch some readers by surprise. It wasn't hard to understand a teenager unless they forgot what was it like to be young.
The book was set in the distant-future British society, which could pique comic readers. Alan Moore penned a similar premise in "V for Vendetta", which would be followed by an intriguing question. Could fascism happen in Great Britain? It already did. There won't be many historians during the late Middle Age and the Reformation, but it wasn't hard to imagine Queen Elizabeth I playing a dictatorial role. It was the only way to keep the British monarchy from falling into the hands of power-hungry neighbors. How about a breakdown of law and order in British society? Burgess might be toying with an idea of his countrymen getting fed up with the politeness and manners. But this would define Britain. A channel separated the country from the rest of Europe, thus the isolationist stance. There weren't any conflicting feelings about it, as Brexit would have shown to outsiders.
Burgess was able to describe a teen who had a penchant for head bashing, yet he loved to listen to Beethoven's compositions. It was a stark contradiction that seemed unheard in modern society until the writings of Marquis de Sade would come to light. Burgess, who would celebrate his centennial year on February 25, was recalling his lower-middle class beginnings in Manchester. His Catholic upbringing would ring a familiar sound. Faith could move mountains, even turn the world upside down. It might take a warped mind to see the beauty in such a setting, but Kubrick elevated it into an artform. It earned “A Clockwork Orange” a cult status. Burgess couldn't complain at all.
