ABSTRACT

The protagonist in Burgess’s futuristic novel, A Clockwork Orange, is Alex, a 15-year-old sadistic rape-murderer who becomes the involuntary subject o f a primitive psychological rehabilitation approach known as the “Ludovico technique.” The goal of treatment is to create a conditioned aversion in Alex to all stimuli associated with anger and hostility, thereby suppressing his compulsive urges for sex and violence. Despite the caricature o f “Dr. Brodsky,” and the overly simplistic view o f condition­ ing therapy presented, Burgess powerfully portrays the central di­ lemmas and controversies surrounding behavioral treatment o f offend­ ers. When and how should such therapy be administered? Who is an appropriate candidate for treatment? Under what circumstances should treatment be substituted for incarceration? What are the risks to the offender, potential victims, and society at large o f such treatments? Ultimately, can psychologically based treatments be effective for crimi­

nal or sexual deviance? Curiously, A Clockwork Orange has been pub­ lished with two alternative endings. In the original U. S. version, Alex escapes from the treatment facility to recover his passion for violence. The English edition, however, ends on a more optimistic note, as Alex finally becomes bored with his life o f violence, and ends up wishing for a wife and family: “But now as I end this story, brothers, I am not young, not no longer, oh no. Alex with groweth up, oh yes” (1962/1986, p. 191).