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Anthony Burgess had got the response he was looking for, he shared his
ideas with the world and it was accepted from a majority of people. In 1971
Stanley Kubrick adapted A Clockwork Orange into a film which only helped Burgess
gain even more respect. However, due to Burgess' use of an artificial language
nadsat, which is a combination of Russian and American slang, Kubrick was forced
to reject Burgess' original script for the film version. Kubrick took out a mass
majority of Burgess' 'nadsat', but tried to make up for it in visual equivalent
but failed and is no way as good as the novel itself (Gaduer 84). Burgess
believed that the film failed to convey the themes of the novel and urged people
to read the book to better understand the concepts he wrote about in A Clockwork
Orange. (Tilton 57) With his new found popularity Burgess continued to write
novels but, also, experimented in other forms of literature. During the 1960's
Burgess turned to journalism to make a living. He wrote many articles for
various newspapers all throughout American and Britain.
Along with journalism
Burgess tried to produce at least one novel a year even though he was a very
busy man. In 1969, Burgess went back to teaching writing courses in creative
arts at Princeton University, and Columbia University. In 1971, Anthony Burgess
gave up teaching to try and produce an adaptation of his own work Cyrano De Bergena which was praised for his translation from the original work at the
summer festival in Tyrone Guthrie Theatre. Thus, started a career in
playwriting. He successfully adapted novels of his own to film versions. His
plays were strongly influenced by James Joyce, who was known for his word play,
riddles, and puns. Burgess continued to write and produce plays for three years,
and has since then turned back to writing articles for newspapers. (Clemons 58)
In modern times, Anthony Burgess' influence is easily seen all throughout the
world, but people are misinterpreting his ideas. Although considered an
anarchist by the church of England Burgess had no intent of trying to produce a
society in which there is no law or control over people.
He realized that there
needed to be a way of keeping people under control. Burgess favored democracy
because it allowed to people to select an educated official to represent
themselves. He knew that without education there would be a lack of knowledge of
how to survive. However, he did believe that people should be free to make there
own decisions without having to worry about people condemning them. Modern day
anarchist are taking Burgess out of context by saying that people don't have to
do anything that people say to do. Anthony Burgess is considered a leader in a
movement for individuality. He is seen as a hero for the modern day people
seeking to escape from the set standards of how life should be, and how people
should act.
He was raised in a time when you were expected to listen to what to
people in power had to say and follow their orders. People respect his
determination because there wasn't a majority to back him up in his fight.
Through hardwork and determination Anthony Burgess has successfully conveyed his
belief that A man who cannot choose ceases to be a man. I believe that the wrong
god is temporarily ruling the world, and that the true god has gone under. Thus,
I am a pessimist but believe the world has much solace to offer- love, food,
music... the pleasure of artistic creation -John Anthony Burgess Wilson
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