C.W

Throughout the history of literature, a common theme is that of a characters search for identity. Two twentieth century dystopian novels that have this theme as its centre are Native Son written by Richard Wright in 1940 and Anthony Burgess’ 1962 novel A Clockwork Orange. It can be taken that, the social and economic circumstances of both the authors, and the fictional characters provide a greater depth to this search for identity. Both novels were written at times when the supposed threat of Communism was the main political topic in the Capitalist world. Aspects of this can be seen within both novels.

It is generally believed that many different factors contribute in forming a person’s identity. Both authors examine numerous components that shape the lives of the respective male teenage protagonists, Bigger and Alex. These include the characters’ family lives, companion groups and the violent acts that they commit.  

In 1940’s America, there was a racial divide between white and black citizens, where the colour of a person’s skin defined their identity. This is seen in Native Son with the line “kill that black ape,” which is used to describe Bigger. The line shows that the character is mainly recognised by his skin colour alone. The use of the word “ape” creates the impression that Bigger is somehow an unclean primitive animal rather than an actual person. This line also relates to the view, of some racist groups, that the black community was somehow sub-human and valueless. This is also seen with the inclusion of the word “that”, it implies that the speaker views all black people in the same light. The inclusion of this level of abuse reveals how extreme some of the protestors were during the 1940’s. Wright too would have experienced this type of discrimination during his childhood in Mississippi.

It is commonly believed that a person’s acquaintances help to define their identities. In Native Son, Bigger is a member of gang that regularly commits petty theft and low-level acts of violence. However, the catalytic act of violence is completed by the main protagonist. One of the planned robberies is that of a white person’s store. When the characters are debating the act, Wright uses the line “trespassing into territory where the full wrath of alien white world be turned loose upon them” to describes the consequences that would be likely to occur. The use of the word “alien” shows how different the two groups of citizens had become, and how little one group knew about the other. The idea of “territory” could be seen to relate to the fact that most cities in the 1940’s were deliberately segregated to keep black people in lower quality accommodation. The word coupled with “trespassing” also connotes ownership; this could be seen to refer to idea that the white people owned the blacks and therefore they were never completely free. The line could be seen to foreshadow the hysteria and violence created during Bigger’s trial. Similarly, the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange, Alex, is also a member of a violent male, teenage gang. The gang members are described as wearing “very tight tights with a jelly mould … of a design.” This could be Burgess stating that the clothing being worn also contributes to an identity. Alex wears a jelly mould in the shape of a spider, and this has many connotations, and could be a metaphor for his identity and symbolise his characteristics. Firstly, the spider could be seen to represent predator attributes and this could foreshadow the violent acts that the character will commit. Because of the web a spider forms, it can also be taken that the symbol of a spider represents entrapment. Burgess may be commenting on how Alex is somehow trapped in his current life of violence or alternatively, how he traps his victims.

In A Clockwork Orange, the protagonist Alex acts as the narrator telling of his personal search for an identity. Throughout the novel, Burgess enforces his own fictional language of Nadsat for Alex to describe the fictional world. Firstly, it can be implied that, the inclusion of this shows that each generation creates its own slang vocabulary which helps to form their identity at that age. One interpretation is that, Burgess is creating an automatic barrier between the reader and the characters. This in turn creates the impression that perhaps the readers have a moral high ground over the character, as they are not able to understand the violence that is being described to them, and therefore are above it. An example of this is the line “I got my rooker around her rot.” The actual language is a composition of Russian, English, cockney rhyming slang and Burgess’ neologisms. The fact that Russian and English is combined could be seen as satirical as it portrays the idea that the two main superpowers fighting in the Cold War can co-exist.

Violent and murderous acts are frequently committed throughout both novels and it can be taken that these contribute in to forming the identity of the participating characters. This is evident in terms of plot as both characters gain media attention for the crimes they have committed. They are then labelled based on these acts. From this it can be taken that, these crimes form the basis of the character’s identities. In Native Son this is seen by an extract from newspaper, it reads “Bigger Thomas, Negro sex-slayer.” The extract shows the white public of the novel see only the colour of the skin and his accused crimes as a means to identify him. The alliteration on the double-barrelled word “sex-slayer” creates a snarled impression when said aloud. This creates the impression of contempt towards Bigger. This passage is an example of how Wright forms Bigger’s identity through the views of other characters. This technique is also used by Burgess and an example of it is the line “young monster, who has been like no real son at all.” This line could be seen to put the views of the readers into the text. The word “monster” could be how some readers view the main character.

It can be inferred that, the acts of violence in the novels are acts of rebellion instead of evil acts. This is partially shown by the similarity in terms of structure between the two novels. Both authors write in an episodic nature, with each book comprising of three distinct sections. This could show the three stages of life - childhood, adulthood and old age. In both novels, the decisive catalyst occurs in the opening section, and then by the third section the protagonists question their earlier actions and beliefs. Burgess and Wright may be stating the views of the young change greatly during the course of their lives. The fact that the characters views do change shows that they are acts of rebellion. This rebellion could be seen as a single element to the search for identity. Alternatively, the three-part structure could have other interpretations. In A Clockwork Orange, there is continual reference to traditional classical music. The three-part structure could therefore emulate the ternary form of most classical works. Whilst in Native Son, each section is labelled, fear flight and fate respectively. These could be seen to give a single word summary on each section.  

Throughout the novels, there is a constant questioning of the fictional world. In Native Son, Wright uses the line “Could he trust bare naked feeling like this?” The overall effect of this constant questioning is one of procrastination; this in turn implies that Bigger is constantly unsure of which direction to take and he is unsure of his identity. This insecurity is further emphasised by the line “was she laughing at him?” The phrase “bare naked feeling” implies an instinctual view, and suggests that Bigger acts on instinct; this could relate back to an earlier quote that describes him as an “ape”. In A Clockwork Orange, the view of constant questioning is revealed by the continued repetition of the “What’s it going to be then, eh?” This line is used at the start of each section within the novel and in the opening of the last chapter. The line implies a loss of direction. Also, it could show that the character is searching for his identity and, even by the end of the novel, has not found it. The use of the colloquial word “eh” at the end of the repeated line connotes firstly aggression yet secondly desperation, as if he has lost all hope. From this, it can be suggested that Alex deserves some sympathy from the readers.

In America in the 1940’s many people, because of propaganda, held a negative view on the Communist Party and its members, who were often labelled just as “red.” Communist ideals state that everybody is equal; however, citizens in a regime are not identified as individuals. A negative American view is revealed in the novel by the line “They must be wild”. However, through Jan Erlone offering Bigger Communist leaflets, Wright shows how people can attempt to change a person’s identity. This is also seen in A Clockwork Orange by Alex completing the Ludovio’s Technique, a fictional form of behaviourism. Ultimately, the process alters Alex’s public identity from criminal to reformed criminal. In a speech made by one of the doctors, Burgess writes, “we are not concerned with higher ethics … We are only concerned with cutting down crime.” This has many connotations. Firstly, Burgess may be stating that governments are unconcerned with individual people and only the inhabitants as a whole. Alternatively, the line could be read as stating that those found guilty of certain crimes, have lost the right to an individual identity and are at the mercy of the government. This is further stated by Alex being named as a numerical reference in the prison. Both of these examples show how Burgess and Wright discuss organisations removing a person’s identity. 

In conclusion, both novels end negatively for the protagonists. Bigger is left in his cell as a solemn figure resigned to his fate whilst Alex is left friendless and lost. The respective authors may be implying that to search for ones identity through continual violence ultimately leads to unhappiness. In Native Son, it is implied by the line “I’ll fix ‘em. I’ll get a gun and kill four or five” that the trend of violence could continue, through Bigger’s younger brother Buddy. This could be Wright stating that acts of rebellious violence will continue to exist unless there is a change in public views and government rulings. A similar view is expressed by Burgess by the line “I would not be able to stop him. Nor would he be able to stop his son.”

Overall, it can taken that, the protagonists individual searches for identity are allegories for, and symbolise, the authors visions of how the youth will continue to rebel in such a violent manner to find their identities. Contextually, this could relate to the “Mods and Rockers” of the 1950’s. The authors show the individual identities of the protagonists in many different ways. These include, the clothes that they wear, different acts of violence they commit, how they react to their crimes, the language they use and how they view themselves, which is presented through self-questioning. In addition, a person’s family can be seen to define their identity and this is true in the two novels. Bigger is forced by his mother to accept a job and therefore loses his limited freedom; this could be seen as the start of his search. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex is abandoned by his parents, who appear to have given up on him. Both characters may have been drawn into the respective gangs to escape the confinement of their family lives. However, by the end of each novel, the protagonists are still uncertain of their identities. This also links with the fact that both texts are dystopian and are hence more focused on the unresolved journey of the protagonist against any regime rather than future of the character.