A Clockwork Orange

by Anthony Burgess

A Clockwork Orange: Tone 1 key example

Definition of Tone

The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Part 1, Chapter 4
Explanation and Analysis:

Initially, the tone of the book follows Alex's careless and reckless attitude toward life; he is blunt, unfiltered, and crass. In his pompousness, he justifies his behavior as an act of defiance against a government that attempts to control and suppress him. He reflects on this after a visit from P.R. Deltoid, his Post-Corrective Adviser, in Part 1, Chapter 4: 

But the not-self cannot have the bad, meaning they of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self. And is not our modern history, my brothers, the story of brave malensky selves fighting these big machines? I am serious with you, brothers, over this. But what I do I do because I like to do.

Part 1, Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis:

Initially, the tone of the book follows Alex's careless and reckless attitude toward life; he is blunt, unfiltered, and crass. In his pompousness, he justifies his behavior as an act of defiance against a government that attempts to control and suppress him. He reflects on this after a visit from P.R. Deltoid, his Post-Corrective Adviser, in Part 1, Chapter 4: 

But the not-self cannot have the bad, meaning they of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self. And is not our modern history, my brothers, the story of brave malensky selves fighting these big machines? I am serious with you, brothers, over this. But what I do I do because I like to do.

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Part 2, Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis:

Initially, the tone of the book follows Alex's careless and reckless attitude toward life; he is blunt, unfiltered, and crass. In his pompousness, he justifies his behavior as an act of defiance against a government that attempts to control and suppress him. He reflects on this after a visit from P.R. Deltoid, his Post-Corrective Adviser, in Part 1, Chapter 4: 

But the not-self cannot have the bad, meaning they of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow the bad because they cannot allow the self. And is not our modern history, my brothers, the story of brave malensky selves fighting these big machines? I am serious with you, brothers, over this. But what I do I do because I like to do.

Unlock with LitCharts A+