Literary Comparison Of A Clock Essay -- essays research papers

A Literary Comparison Of A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The existence of evil in the world is a universal question that is often contemplated. Anthony Burgess and Arthur Miller in their novels A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible address this question of evil. One of these stories is set in the future, and the other in the past confirming the belief that the human struggle between good and evil is timeless and applies to every person in society. Throughout history numerous examples of leaders have attempted to control the nature of people within their society through systems of punishment and reward. This system had failed continuously to control the entire population because people still retain their ability to choose. It is said that once a person loses his free will, he ceases to be a person. This is the struggle confronting the protagonists in both A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible. The fifteen-year old rebel Alex and the respected farmer John Proctor refuse to conform to the rules of their oppressive societies, a nd as a result are denied the freedom to choose between good and evil, therefore becoming less than human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Alex and John Proctor live in highly oppressive societies from which they feel alienated, and therefore decide to rebel against. The futuristic setting of A Clockwork Orange is one of a constructive, depersonalized society where the government has far too much control over people’s lives. They are forced to live in strictly regimented communities, and their daily life is dreary. “Alex’s England is a socialized nightmare.'; (De Vitis, 106) It is because of this meaningless life that Alex chooses to rebel against his society, committing so many brutal acts of violence that he soon becomes desensitized to the horror he is creating. When questioned by his correctional officer as to why he acts this way, Alex replies “…badness is of the self, the one, the you or me. They of the government and the judges and the schools cannot allow badness because they cannot allow they self… what I do, I do because I like to do it. (Burgess, 34 ) Alex fully Bisson 2 realizes that the controlled society he lives is one that tries to eliminate all individuality. This causes him to act out in violence against authority as a means o... ... since it is the only way he will be allowed to remain true to himself. Proctor realizes that life without free will is a subhuman existence and not worth living. Both Alex and john, unable to choose between right and wrong for themselves, cease to have a normal existence, and both choose death over a life without choice. This is the only way they have of affirming their humanity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Anthony Burgess and Arthur Miller believe that it is more important to remain true to oneself then to always choose good over evil. They show a person must maintain their free will in order to function properly as a human being. They prove this in their works A Clockwork Orange and The Crucible by showing the negative things which befall the protagonists when their right to choose is taken from them. Basically, a free will is essential to every human being, and to take it away is to dehumanize an individual. The two novels function as notable warnings to those that would sacrifice their individuality to please authorities. In addition, they remind the reader that what makes a person is their ability to choose, and so it is necessary that people be allowed that choice.

Effects of Over Population Essay - 1273 Words

The world as we know it is slowly being depleted of its natural resources. Habitats are being destroyed, and wildlife animals are facing extinction, these are just a few of the effects of over population. Over population not only affects nature and the planet but the human way of life. Imagine a world where the water is polluted, the soil produces no crop and the air is so toxic that we can’t breathe; this is where the world is heading. Due to the fast growth of people, humanity itself faces great danger. There are solutions to over population such as Family planning and sexual education. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, â€Å"Today’s global human population is over 7 billion. Every day, the planet sees a net gain of roughly†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The loss of these forests leads to extinction of plants and animals. These plants could contain cures for diseases that will never be found† (Overpopulation in Africa, 3). One example to learn from is the events that occurred in Easter Island where the inhabitant where nearly wiped out when the population exceeded the available resources. â€Å"Because of deforestation, the islanders lacked the resources necessary to make ropes and seaworthy canoes†¦. Deforestation also led to erosion, which made it difficult to grow crops. Without adequate food, the population crashed. A rich and complex society that erected now-iconic stone monuments was reduced to living in caves and resorted to cannibalism† (Human Overpopulation, 9). Water is one of the most important necessities of life, yet we find that water is one of the main resources endangered. Due to our numbers growing exponentially we find that many nations are left with little to no viable water. As the population grows so does the amount of waste we produced. â€Å"Every year more than 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water and industrial waste are discharged into U.S. waters† (Negat ive Population Growth, 4). This pollution to our water ways is causing bacteria and germ build up, which affects us directly, infecting the population with diseases and infections. â€Å"Waterborne germs and parasites cause an estimated 7.1 million mild-to-moderate cases of infectious disease in the U.S. annually† (NegativeShow MoreRelatedNegative Effect of Overpopulation.1365 Words   |  6 PagesTHE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF POPULATION GROWTH Some observers attribute nearly all of the world s maladies to excessive population growth. They claim that rapid population growth has at least three adverse effects on human well-being. First, it increases poverty--the number of people that are impoverished, the proportion of the community that is impoverished, and the severity of the impoverishment. Second, it increases environmental degradation--the misuse of natural resources--with adverse consequencesRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects On Human Population1458 Words   |  6 Pagespast 100 years, the population of the world has gone from about 2 million people to just over 7 million people. With this drastic change in population in such a short period of time compared to the total age of the earth, problems are no doubtable going to arise. From the demand of the ever rising human population on the earth, food accessibility, depletion of natural resources, and an increase in global warming affects all have detrimental conseq uences on our human population and our own earth thatRead MoreMigration And Its Effects On Population1558 Words   |  7 Pagespool of one population to another. Therefore, it may change allele frequencies or range due to the reproduction of the immigrated individuals. This study was performed to see how migration modifies the effects of frequent disasters on allele frequencies in moth populations. Migration would counteract the effects of natural disasters that increase genetic drift by introducing new alleles into the gene pool; this allows for new combinations and increases variability within populations. Keeping allRead MoreThe Effects Of Overpopulation On The Human Population1532 Words   |  7 PagesWith rapid population growth and urbanization escalating, overcrowding has concerned many scientists, researchers, and the human populace as a whole. Overpopulation, the condition where an area holds more people than in which the area can properly function, is a serious issue whi ch has many adverse effects on the well-being of a healthy human population. A growing seven billion people live on Earth and factors such as pollution, and human well being may all be affected by overpopulation, and continuedRead MoreThe Environmental Impact of Overpopulation Essay862 Words   |  4 PagesThe human population has continued to grow through the decades. The increasingly large number of people that have become apart of the world population has become a major problem. The consequences of the world being over populated has numerous effects which include: Environmental effects, depletion of natural resources, effects on the economy, food and water instability, and mass species extinction. Without a solution to the rise in human population, by the year 2020, 8 billion people will liveRead MoreEvolution Study Guide1319 Words   |  6 Pageswithin an interbreeding population over a period of time. 2. Fossils – preserved remains of organisms that lived long ago, usually in sedimentary rock. 3. Acquired traits – organisms that acquire, not inherit, traits over a period of time and that cannot be passed down to the next generation. 4. Artificial selection – a breeder that selects desired traits for a species and then breeds that species to have those traits. 5. Variation – physical and genetic differences in populations of a species. 6. AdaptationRead MoreEuropes Aging Population : Europe1400 Words   |  6 PagesEurope’s Aging Population Europe provides a well-documented example of a developed region experiencing an aging population. Carone et al. (2005) say that over the coming decades, the number of people aged 65 and over in the EU is predicted to double, as a result the old age dependency ratio will change to 2:1, meaning that for every two people of working age there will be one aged 65 or older. The scale of the aging population is compounded by the region’s low fertility, with member states averagingRead MoreUrbanization Of Urban Population Growth Essay1508 Words   |  7 Pageswitnessing a greater migration of the world’s population into urban dwellers. This movement of people into major towns and cities of the world is caused by rapid sprawl and it is observed in developed and developing countries. The increasing population observed is inevitable; therefore the solution to urban problems depends essentially on effective planning, infrastructural management and development. Usually, unplanned p opulation growth is associated with population demands that supersede infrastructureRead MoreUrbanization Of The 21st Century1542 Words   |  7 Pagescentury is witnessing an increase of the world’s population into urban dwellers. Dramatic movement of people into major towns and cities of the world is caused by rapid sprawl; this is observed in developed and developing countries. This increasing recognition is inevitable; therefore the solution to urban problems depends largely on effective planning, infrastructural management and development. Usually, unplanned population growth is associated to population demands that supersede infrastructure and serviceRead MoreCorrelation Between Age Structure And The Level Of Mortality1267 Words   |  6 PagesThe value of -0.000681 found for the micro-region of Sà £o Paulo can be broken down into -0.001602 from the effect rate and 0.000654 to age effect in the opposite direction. The remainder, 0.000267, is the effect of the interac tion between age structure and the level of mortality. Figures 2 (effect of age structure) and 3 (effect of mortality level) present the results of the decomposition for the 2006-2010 period for males. We use them to answer the following question: which contribution is greater