“THE POWER DRUG”
An in-depth analysis of
Stanley Kubrick’s
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
Text copyright © by Rob Ager 2010
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SUMMARY
I’d now like to offer a chronological breakdown of ACO that compares the surface narrative (the supposed straight adaptation of the book) to Kubrick’s subliminally encoded hidden narrative (his thematic reinvention of the story). This is, of course, only my interpretation, and there may be portions of it that don’t match Kubrick’s intentions. With such subjective material a 100% correct interpretation isn’t possible, but I’m personally satisfied that this article has broken most of the aesthetic code used by Stanley.
You are still free to form your own understanding of the film. If the condensed guide below helps you in any way to do that then this article will have been worth my effort.
Korova bar opening, tramp beating and gang fight.
Surface narrative
Alex is the leader of a small street gang in a future society. The gang take drugs and prowl the streets at night looking for fights.
Hidden narrative
The film is set around the time it was made. Alex represents the apex of a group that has massive social and political influence, cross symbolized with the Great Seal of the United States and the European Union flag. The social system represented in the opening shot includes women as sex objects, the over-sexualizing of the populous as a whole, the divide and rule principle of the artificial left-right political spectrum, widespread drug use and engineered racial conflict. The arrangement of hippy, fascist and ethnic groups on either side of the screen may also be a simple timeline of western social history in recent centuries, beginning with Alex in the present and ending with ethnic conflict (the two doormen) at the bottom. Historical violence against the poor is re-enacted in the following scene (beating of the beggar). Then World War 2 is re-enacted with the Nazis as a puppet regime under the same hierarchical influence as Alex’s gang.
See chapters 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17
Invading the writer’s house and attacking the couple
Surface narrative
Alex and his gang lie their way into the writer’s house. They trash the writer’s desk, beat him and his wife and it is implied that they rape his wife.
Hidden narrative
Alex, now representing Kubrick, demonstrates one trial learning association to discredit the scientific premise of the Ludovico technique. He sings a familiar and widely loved song, altering its associations in the minds of the film audience without the use of drugs. He trashes the writer’s desk and type writer, symbolizing a trashing of the source novel premise.
See chapters 10, 11, 15, 20, 21
Second Korova bar scene, hitting Dim
Surface narrative
After the attack at the writer’s house Alex and the gang return to the Korova bar for a drink. Alex physically punishes one of his gang for mocking Beethoven.
Hidden narrative
We switch back to the original Alex from the first Korova scene. Dim’s interaction with a naked mannequin milk dispenser is representative of his hiring a prostitute and the economic sex slavery that is high class prostitution in general. As is inevitable with any gang that gains too much power, Alex and the droogs begin to fight each other. Differences in ideology appear (perception of Beethoven in this case) and resulting disciplinary measures create animosity among observing members (Georgie and Pete).
See chapters 5, 21
Walking home, entering apartment block, using lavatory
Surface narrative
Alex leaves the Korova bar and heads home at dawn.
Hidden narrative
We switch from the power apex Alex to a common street thug Alex heading home after a night on the streets for a single shot. We then switch back to the power apex Alex, once he is in the building (the discontinuity of night and dawn is our main clue here).
See chapters 14, 21
Listening to Beethoven in his bedroom
Surface narrative
Alex takes stolen items from his night excursions and adds them to his collection under the bed. He then listens to his favourite composer – Beethoven.
Hidden narrative
Alex’s private sexual motives (getting off on power) and his hidden wealth (seen under his bed) are communicated. The visual association of Alex as Beethoven is, hence his love of Beethoven is a love of himself – his ego. His symbolized self-stimulation before a picture of a mannequin-like woman may indicate his use of a prostitute.
See chapters 4, 5, 13, 15
Mother knocks for Alex, parents talk in kitchen
Surface narrative
Alex is still asleep after a long night awake. His mother knocks for him to go to school and he makes an excuse of a head ache to stay in bed. His naïve parents have a discussion about their son’s mysterious night time activities.
Hidden narrative
The visual depiction of Alex’ parents in the kitchen reveal that he has absolute psychological control over them. Possibly, they know what he gets up to and are pretending to be unaware.
See chapters 9, 14
Encounter with Mr Deltoid
Surface narrative
Alex awakens to find his post-corrective advisor, Mr Deltoid, waiting for him in his parents’ bedroom. The eccentric Deltoid warns Alex to stay out of trouble and is very physical in his interaction, even grabbing Alex’s genitals.
Hidden narrative
The scene with Deltoid is representative of physical abuse, probably from one or both of his parents, and may actually be a regressive dream sequence (Alex was still in bed in his previous scene). The implied abuse may also be representative of abuse between successive social generations as a whole. Alex is revealed as being conditioned into crime by his environment rather than being inherently criminal minded.
See chapters 9, 10
Chelsea Drug Store, high speed orgy scene
Surface narrative
Alex shops for music and picks up two girls for a threesome at home.
Hidden narrative
Most likely this is another dream sequence. Alex appears as a regal figure in an environment that matches Kubrick’s description of the “new psychedelic fascism”. In this fantasy world, Alex picks up young, attractive women within minutes and performs like an acrobat in bed with them.
See chapters 3, 4, 13, 18
Droogs challenge Alex, marina fight, Duke of New York bar
Surface narrative
Alex is on his way out of the flat block and is challenged by his droogs regarding how he runs the gang. He restores his dominance over them in a fight. In a bar they agree to a burglary of the Cat-lay’s house.
Hidden narrative
The scene continues the theme of inevitable in-fighting at the top of organisations that have become too powerful.
Cat-lady encounter, Alex betrayed by droogs
Surface narrative
Alex seeks to impress his droogs of his leadership by handling the burglary of the Cat-lady’s house. He causes a fatal injury to the Cat-lady. The droogs, still angry with him about the fight earlier, injure him and leave him to be caught by the police.
Hidden narrative
Alex, now under the heavy influence of Moloko, attacks the Cat-lady while psychologically reliving a childhood encounter with his Mother regarding her private activities.
See chapters 6, 9
Police interrogation
Surface narrative
Alex is caught by the police and undergoes a violent interrogation.
Hidden narrative
The police and post-corrective advisor are another gang of droogs. Sexual advances on Alex are implied, to which he responds by grabbing the genitals of one officer, as was done to him by Deltoid.
See chapters 3, 6, 7, 8, 9
Prison induction
Surface narrative
Alex goes to prison and is regimentally introduced.
Hidden narrative
Again, sexual abuse of Alex is implied in the behaviour of Officer Barnes, who is a symbolic Hitler / fascist working within the social / political system. A Nazi concentration camp theme may be present in this scene.
See chapters 3, 8, 17
Preacher speech in class room
Surface narrative
Religious hypocrisy is used in an attempt to brainwash the prisoners.
Hidden narrative
Alex has already earned himself some favour here and is potentially moving up the ranks.
See chapters 3, 8
Discussion with preacher in library
Surface narrative
Alex fantasizes of being a leader in the Roman Empire, while reciting the bible. He asks the preacher if he can be a Ludovico technique volunteer.
Hidden narrative
Alex has been reading up the Ludovico technique and is confident he can psychologically resist it, while pretending to be cured. A sexual motive of the priest toward Alex is implied.
See chapters 3, 8, 10, 11
Minister selects Alex for Ludovico treatment
Surface narrative
The Minister is being shown around the prison. He observes Alex’s cell and talks of wanting to empty the prisons, using the Ludovico technique, to make space for political offenders. Alex gets himself noticed and is picked for treatment.
Hidden narrative
The Minister is introduced as a social/political apex leader. Like in the opening shot of Alex at the Korova bar, the hierarchy below him consists of groups of four people imprisoned on the left and right of the screen. The minister shows his own admiration of Beethoven. Alex gets his attention and demonstrates his ability to lie. The Minister, knowing the Ludovico technique doesn’t work, selects him for treatment, knowing that he will put on an act for the press afterward.
See chapters 3, 11, 12
Alex signs for Ludovico Treatment
Surface narrative
The prison governor disapproves as Alex signs for the treatment.
Hidden narrative
The governor may even be aware that the technique is ineffective.
See chapters 7, 11, 12
Alex transferred for Ludovico treatment
Surface narrative
Officer Barnes delivers Alex for treatment at the Ludovico centre.
Hidden narrative
During the transfer Officer Barnes warns that Alex will commit crimes again. Possibly he knows the technique doesn’t work. Being delivered into the hands of “Dr Alcott”, the same name as the cinematographer working with Kubrick on ACO, Alex is basically on his way to view himself in a cinema.
See chapters 11, 20
Alex meets Dr Branom
Surface narrative
Alex is given a shot of a serum before his first Ludovico session. He is unaware of what is going to happen and is given a vague explanation by Dr Branom.
Hidden narrative
Alex plays dumb. He knows what the treatment involves and knows it won’t work.
See chapters 10, 11
First Ludovico session
Surface narrative
Alex watches violence on a cinema screen as the serum takes effect. He feels ill as Dr Brodsky explains to colleagues that the ill feelings will be associated to the violence on the screen, thus inhibiting Alex against violence.
Hidden narrative
The film shifts to the perception of its audience with Alex being a part of that audience. Alex views his own crimes on screen (beatings and rapes) and is sickened. This is part of his real cure and has nothing to do with drugs.
See chapters 10, 11, 17, 20
Alex discusses first session with Dr Branom
Surface narrative
Alex is baffled by his Ludovico session and questions Dr Branom. She explains that he is being cured.
Hidden narrative
Alex pretends not to understand what happened in the theatre. Little does he know, seeing his own violent acts on screen will morally effect him later.
See chapters 10, 11, 7, 20
Second Ludovico session
Surface narrative
Alex has another treatment session. He begins to understand the effect of the drug and objects to his love of Beethoven being destroyed.
Hidden narrative
Again the film shifts to an audience perspective, with Alex joining us. Alex is made to review history and the ideological similarities between Nazism and modern day empire builders, which includes himself.
See chapters 10, 11, 17, 20
Stage demo of Alex after treatment
Surface narrative
Alex is paraded on stage by the Minister. His aversion to sexual and violent activity is shown and widespread use of the Ludovico technique is approved.
Hidden narrative
The Minister and Alex, in collaboration for mutual benefit, offer a staged act in which Alex pretends that he now has an aversion to sex and violence.
See chapters 10, 11
Alex returns to parents flat
Surface narrative
Alex is freed. He returns home and finds that a lodger has moved into his bedroom. He wants to fight the lodger, but is unable to hit him due to his treatment. He leaves the house crying that he has no home. The lodger explains that he deserves to be left to fight for himself.
Hidden narrative
Alex wants to hit the lodger, but fakes his aversion to win sympathy from his parents. He fakes his tears and plays a guilt trip on them.
See chapter 11
Alex at the Thames, attacked by tramps, meets former droogs – now police officers
Surface narrative
Alex wanders to the Thames, possibly considering throwing himself in the river. He is recognised by the beggar. He is attacked by a group of beggars. The police intervene, who turn out to be his former droogs.
Hidden narrative
Alex stands by the Thames for hours, waiting for someone to recognise him from the morning papers so that he can get press coverage portraying himself as a victim. Instead he is recognised by his own former victims – the tramp and his droogs.
See chapters 10, 11, 20
Alex beaten by former droogs
Surface narrative
Alex is unable to defend himself against the officers because of his treatment. He is beaten and nearly drowned by them.
Hidden narrative
The officers inflict upon Alex the same suffering he has inflicted on others. This is the final session of his cure.
See chapters 7, 11, 18, 20
Second entrance of writer house, writer on telephone
Surface narrative
The beat up Alex accidentally wanders to the writer’s house. The writer is now in a wheelchair. He recognises Alex from the newspapers. After arranging for journalists to speak to Alex, the writer hears Alex singing in the bath tub. He recognises the song and knows Alex was the one who attacked him and his wife. He is enraged.
Hidden narrative
Alex, now either unconscious or asleep, dreams of making his way back to his “home” of false enlightenment. In this dream he is recognised from the newspapers by the writer, who welcomes him and offers the press coverage that will win Alex national sympathy. The dream gradually turns to a nightmare. The writer, in his orange clothes and wheelchair, is a clockwork orange – a mirror image of Alex’s now divided identity. As the writer (alter ego of Alex) finishes a phone call to a journalist, the new Alex begins reciting the song “Singin’ in the Rain” from the bathroom. The writer (Alex alter ego) hears this and realizes the Ludovico technique hasn’t worked and that the new Alex tricked his way into the house by playing a victim.
See chapters 10, 11, 14, 18, 20
Alex interviewed in writer’s lounge
Surface narrative
Alex is eating in the lounge. The writer, now red with rage, tells Alex that his wife died after the rape incident. He intimidates Alex into drinking several glasses of wine. The journalist friends of the writer arrive and question Alex, during which the drug takes effect and Alex falls unconscious.
Hidden narrative
Continuing the internal conflict dream sequence, young Alex tries to keep up his victim act. Writer Alex watches this with contempt. Young Alex symbolically dies on the spot and his lies die along with him.
See chapters 18, 20
Alex suicide attempt
Surface narrative
Alex awakens in a country manor. He has been locked in an attic and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is playing loudly from the room below, much to the sadistic glee of the writer. Alex leaps from the window in a suicide attempt to avoid his conditioned response of feeling ill.
Hidden narrative
Alex awakens from his dream in a bedroom, possibly a room he has rented for the night. He is tormented by a mental image of himself as an insane bust of Beethoven / writer at the apex of a power structure, accompanied by the 9th Symphony (EU anthem, also loved by the Nazis and many other political groups). This identity crisis drives him to an attempted suicide.
See chapters 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21
Alex awakens in hospital, newspaper reports shown
Surface narrative
Alex is now in hospital and awakens from a coma. It is implied that a doctor and nurse have been engaged in a sexual act behind a curtain. Newspaper clips of Alex are shown, in which he is portrayed as a victim and the government as his abuser.
Hidden narrative
Alex awakens in hospital in a recovering mannequin state. He is temporarily attached to various life support machines, possibly indicating he is recovering from a clockwork psychological condition. The sexual activity of the doctor and nurse shows that Alex’s own devious sexual impulses are shared by the very people who were supposedly attempting to cure him. The newspapers reveal that Alex is, at least partially, representing the author of the novel recovering from the discovery that the Ludovico technique wouldn’t work. The newspaper dates also confirm the year as 1972.
See chapters 11, 18, 20, 21
Alex interviewed by psychiatrist
Surface narrative
The psychiatrist conducts a questionnaire to check whether Alex’s sexual and violent impulses have been restored. They have. It is implied that some sort of surgery or therapy has been conducted to restore Alex’s brain to its original state.
Hidden narrative
Alex, now genuinely cured plays dumb and pretends to go along with the psychiatrist’s test.
See chapters 18, 19, 20
Minister visits Alex and press shoot
Surface narrative
The Minister visits Alex and makes an offer of a good job on a good salary in return for Alex’s co-operation in restoring the government’s public image after the Ludovico scandal. Alex agrees to. The press are then invited in for a photo shoot. The film ends with a mysterious shot of Alex engaged in a sexual act with a woman in front of a crowd of smartly dressed spectators, cheering spectators.
Hidden narrative
The Minister visits Alex, knowing that the Ludovico technique never worked in the first place. He wants Alex to keep up the public illusion that it did work and to pretend that he has since been cured by the positive intervention of the government, while the blame for Alex’s supposed suffering will be shifted elsewhere – presumably to doctors and psychiatrists. Alex pretends that he’ll go along with the plan. The press enter and begin their photo shoot. Alex then visualizes himself finding sexual fulfilment within the sanctity of marriage. His fantasies of multiple sexual partners (the high speed orgy sequence) are gone.
See chapters 4, 5, 19, 20
Final note
Kubrick once explained during an interview that he had no intention of offering a “verbal road map” of his film 2001: A Space Odyssey. It appears that this is true of all his films. It’s also true of most great artists. The art itself is the dialogue of its creator and the verbal road maps are the responsibility of the audience. In fact I would say that the artist has a responsibility not to offer a verbal road map of their own work because that map would render the actual art redundant. The only dialogue an artist need occasionally offer are A) explanations of practical techniques of physical production, and B) verbal rejections of other people’s interpretations of the art that the artist knows to be misinterpretation. Even these should be engaged in sparingly.
The scale of intellectual and creative effort invested in not only A Clockwork Orange, but the majority of Stanley Kubrick films (most of them have double narratives) is difficult to comprehend because we’re exploring the thought process of a true cinematic genius. Stanley did not think like other film makers. Even those who consider themselves creative intellectuals, or are considered by other people as such, when faced with Kubrick’s films are like infants playing with a 1000 piece jigsaw. They can’t just watch and get the message through natural instinct. They have to identify the easiest pieces first, separate them into manageable categories then build up the image in small sections to be linked together later. The process takes time, patience and effort.
Kubrick’s art is intimidating in its complexity and originality, yet for those who persevere in studying his work there is a transformation of emotional and intellectual response to be experienced. What Kubrick has left us with is a challenge … a puzzle. My experience of taking on that challenge has been thoroughly rewarding and I hope my efforts here inspire you to grab a few copies of Kubrick’s other films and enjoy the Kubrick challenge for yourself.
Thanks for reading.