Clockwork Orange. 60-67]. Once caught Alex is given the option of remaining in Staja Prison for 14 years or undergoing an experimental procedure that will guarantee his release upon its completion in a matter of weeks named Ludovicos method. Alex elects to undergo the procedure (aversion counterconditioning) and is transported to a new facility. During his weeks in the program, Alex is injected with a chemical that reacts to the recipients thoughts of violence by making the recipient nauseas. Alex is then subjected to a series of violent films and experiences the induced nauseas. Eventually, Alexs body becomes conditioned to become nauseas whenever violence enters his thoughts. Similar to the Pavlovs dog experiment, Alex has a conditioned response to violence nausea. [Anthony Burgess, A ClockWork Orange. 106-114] After several weeks of treatment Alexs body no longer requires the chemical to become nauseas at the sight or thought of violence. In order to test this, the doctors overseeing his therapy confront him with a number of instances where violence is either easily perpetrated or necessary for self-preservation. First, he is confronted with a beautiful naked woman. At the thought of raping her he plummets to the floor cringing in pain. Even when confronted with a brusque man who is physically assailing him he grovels at the mans feet instead of wielding his knife. It seemed as thought the program was successful. A once violent mischievous man is now a creature unable to harm anyone. However, the state has destroyed a human being. Since a human is defined by freedom of moral choice and Alex has no choice but to be moral, he is closer to a robot than a human. Burgess, symbolizes this through Alexs lost love for classical music. Throughout the novel, Alex made several references to his love for classical music. Once in a bar he recognizes a singer performing Das Beilseug a German opera. [Anthony Burgess, A ClockWork Orange. 27] He ...
