A clockwork Orange is a science fiction novel that speculates a future in which England's rebellious youth culture has become uncontrollable. The science fiction setting is merely a framework that allows Anthony Burgess to analyze and comment on the direction he feels the youth at the time where really heading down.
Not only does it analyze the youth themselves but also the way their behavior and is reinforced by the older generation. He uses powerfully disturbing imagery to make this statement in a way that will effect the reader on a deep, emotional level. In this way I think the novel is definitely literary.
In some ways the book feels like dystopian vision of a world in the same way that 1984 or Brave New World is, but really it is a different kind of dystopian book. Rather than igniting anger and fear at the idea of outside forces (like the government) creating a dystopian world, he instead puts that on the reader. I think this is what makes the book most alarming to me. It is our fault for the way society turns out, whether you are the current generation causing mayhem with seemingly no repercussions or the generation before them that it is enabling it to happen and doping nothing to stop it. Everyone is guilty and a victim at the same time; and Even the most heinous character, Alex, is a victim in some small way, just by being born into and influenced by society... It's hard to admit cause his character is so awful but I think it is true and I think that subtle tragedy is actually one of the most impactful things to take from the novel.
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