Many philosophers have believed for centuries that there is no intrinsic meaning in the universe. Many responses have emerged from this belief, including absurdism and existentialism. While all are heavily influenced by Søren Kierkegaard's beliefs, they were further developed by the likes of Jean Paul Sartre and Albert Camus himself. Existentialism is the belief that through a combination of awareness, free will, and personal responsibility, one can construct one's own meaning within a world that inherently has none. In Sartre's philosophy of existentialism, this free will implies relevant responsibility and acceptance of the consequences caused by individual choice. Absurdism is a philosophy attributed to Camus, the belief that there is an inherent disharmony between an individual's search for meaning and actual meaninglessness. The three practical ways to deal with such a circumstance are therefore suicide, embracing a structure of meaning such as religion, or accepting the lack of meaning and continuing to live despite this. Both Alex and Meursault are presented as almost absurd heroes; live in the sensual pleasure of the present moment and free from any value system. Rather than behaving in accordance with social norms, these characters try to live as honestly as possible, simply doing what they want to do. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay From the very first line of “A Clockwork Orange,” we are introduced to the recurring motif and underlying theme of the novel: “What is happening?” be then, eh?'. This question appears four times in the first chapter and at the beginning of every single part of the novel. This question that Alex asks himself serves as a symbol of his undulating freedom from executioner to victim. In the first part, as a brutal antihero, Alex consciously chooses to do evil and embody his absolute free will. His senseless brutality and violence adequately illustrate the fact that Sartre's "existence precedes essence." Alex shows no interest in justifying his actions in terms of abstract or theoretical notions such as "freedom", instead living simply as a free but violent hedonist, qualified by his admission that "what I do I do because I like to do it". Burgess himself was particularly philosophically informed and felt that "the freedom to choose is the greatest human attribute", so he molded Alex with this ideology. Furthermore, since the novel was published in 1962, it is impossible to ignore the production contexts in the creation of Alex's character. Framed by the growing youth subcultures of Mods and Rockers, the 1960s became an era of rebellion against the political regime, riots and unnecessary violence. In this sense, Alex almost becomes a hyperbolic extension of the truth: a young man who rejects reason and authority in place of violence. As explained by Robert K Morris in "The Bitter Fruits of Freedom", Alex "has discovered that existence has always meant freedom", so he "responds predictably and inevitably to the killing weight of choice. Authentic action in terms of existentialism. Alternatively, you could see the constant repetition of “What will it be then, huh?” as Alex desperately questions his direction and purpose. Almost like a question addressed to a higher power, you could say that Alex takes an absurdist approach, seeking purpose where there is none. This idea is further supported by Alex's suicide attempt: an escape from the senseless and his ownfruitless search for purpose. Likewise, Meursault subverts social expectations and acts of his own free will, without justifying or considering the implications of his actions. However, where Alex makes knowingly immoral decisions, Meursault appears to continually act amorally, never seeming to make the distinction between good and evil in his mind. When Raymond asks him to write a letter that will help him torment his mistresses, Meursault indifferently because "he had no reason not to do so." This implies that he places no value judgment on his act: a mere microcosm of his character. Meursault's actions are reckless and rejecting consequences, simply doing things because he can. In this sense Meursault seems to display more absurd philosophical tendencies; acting as if nothing has meaning or purpose, but accepting this and continuing to live despite it, consequently behaving amorally out of recklessness and lack of care. However, the application of psychoanalytic critical theory to both "A Clockwork Orange" and "The Outsider" opens up an alternative reading to Alex and Meursault. Perhaps, considering Freud's theories, the two protagonists are guided not by philosophical notions, but by their psychological foundations. Freud hypothesized that the human personality was divided into two parts, two of which are the id and the superego. The id is the part of the human personality that is driven by primary instinct, acting in accordance with selfish pleasure and the desire for immediate gratification. The Superego acts in antithesis to the Id, guided by what the individual believes is morally correct. Both Alex and Meursault as individuals are, at least initially, dominated by their id; acting without consideration, compassion or conscience. Alex describes the murder as "very satisfying", exemplifying the omission of his Superego in his psychological structure. “I shot the motionless body four more times,” notes Meursault, “I don't know why, but something inside me broke.” These further shots were of no use: the Arab was dead. Meursault continued shooting because his id was dominant and a burning murderous desire grew within him. This murderous desire experienced by both Alex and Meursault is known in psychoanalytic terms as the Thanatos instinct. A further illustration of Alex and Meursault's dominant id is when they both satisfy the Oedipus Complex to some extent. With Alex's passive parents and their somewhat distant relationship with him, he finds comfort and a father figure in F. Alexander. By raping F. Alexander's wife, Alex transgresses boundaries by committing symbolic incest, rape, and adultery, showing the lack of balance in his personality and the triumphant dictatorship of the id in his mind. The rape of F. Alexander's wife may have symbolic meaning for Burgess himself, whose wife was raped, representing the deranged personality of such a criminal and the incredibly disturbing yet personal nature of the crime. Meursault's example, however, is less explicit. Just one day after his mother's funeral, Meursault finds himself longing for and sleeping with Marie. Almost immediately after meeting Marie, he talks about how he "grazed her breasts" before "caressing her breasts" and then describes her dress when he meets her in prison: "You could make out the shape of her firm breasts." This repetition of the breast creates a sense of obsession around a powerful symbol of motherhood and nurturing. Despite his distant relationship with his mother, Meursault seems to need to immediately replace this caring female figure, but he immediately takes it to a sexual level, acting solely on the desires of the id. However, you could look at this psychoanalysis from one perspectivedifferent. It could be argued that acting solely on the basis of the id is simply a consequence of the absurd for the two protagonists. If Alex and Meursault see no meaning or purpose, they now have the motivation to be moral. In this sense, the omission of purpose eliminates the need for the Superego. According to Sartre, we are thrown into existence without a predetermined future and construct our own nature or essence through our free choice and actions. Therefore, human beings, regardless of their personal nature, should never be deprived of the freedom of self-determination. Clearly influenced by a certain view of existential philosophy, Burgess discusses in 'A Clockwork Orange' how forcing man to be good is worse than allowing a man to choose evil; the truest malevolence is forced benevolence. “Is a man who chooses evil in any way better than a man who has good imposed on him?” questions the chaplain criticizing Alex's treatment. The chaplain echoes Sartre's idea that good deeds (or anything else) are morally worthless and are performed without free will. This point is reinforced when Alex leaves prison, a "free" and harmless man. However, now alone and spiritless, he is beaten, used and suicidal. Alex reaches maturity, conscious morality and security only when his conditioning is removed and he is "healed", even going so far as to compare good without will to a disease. This moral maturity comes in Part 3, Chapter 7, the 21st chapter of the novel. Alex reflects on his violent youth and hopes for a healthy future, finally finding his purpose in his desire for marriage and children. 21 was significantly the voting age in England in 1962 when the novel was published, thus a structural reinforcement of moral maturity for Alex. In fact, the structure of the entire novel is significant. Consisting of 3 parts each divided into 7 chapters, the novel takes on an ABA structure that echoes that of an opera song[8], a symbol of Alex's musical interest being used against him. Only in chapter 21 - the "end of the song" - does Alex have the free will to do good, forge his own meaning and purpose, and live an existentially authentic life. However, it is the ending of "The Outsider" that determines this. an absurd novel rather than the existentialist epilogue of "A Clockwork Orange". Meursault becomes an absurd hero both literally and figuratively. Literally, it perfectly exemplifies the absurd characteristics of revolt, freedom and passionate carelessness. On a figurative level, Meursault now finds himself in prison awaiting death, a metaphor for the human condition. Like Alex, Meursault also meets a chaplain while in prison. The chaplain tries to bring the atheist Meursault to God in his final days, but he refuses, summing up his absurd worldview that nothing really matters and the only purpose of life is to die: "Since we are all going to die, it is obvious that when and how doesn't matter." By narrating the story through Meursault's indifferent voice and use of pronouns such as "we," the reader is drawn into his point of view, sensing the absurdity of the events that Camus almost certainly intended. In the final pages of the novel Meursault almost enjoys an epiphany: 'For the first time, in that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself up to the sweet indifference of the world... I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy new." It is in these lines that Camus describes Meursault's ironic joy in recognizing a universe without meaning and without hope. He comes to full acceptance of his absurd position in the universe and finds comfort in it, dispelling any criticism that absurdism attracted for the".