Insanity In Lolita And A Clockwork Orange

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Recommended: Theme of insanity in literature

Madness in Literature refers to both writers and characters who have been deemed as abnormal of insane by those around them. Early works of Madness in Literature include novels such as Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov and A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. More recent works include novels such as Remainder by Tom McCarthy and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Novels like these include characters that are considered ‘mad’ by those around them because of the instability of their environment. Those who are considered mad are put into a separate class which builds a wall between the sane and insane (Blowers).
Madness can be considered a ‘desire for violence’ which can become a condition of evocation of the past (Tambling). It exhibits itself in the form of a story which presents information about one’s abnormal behavior (Bernaerts). The study of madness in fiction asses various depictions of madness and insanity. Nevertheless, madness in literature presents an individual’s state of insanity which intend to advise the audience about the irrational behavior of an …show more content…

This shows the connection between personal experiences and how it shapes a person into a mad state of mind. Anything can affect a person’s sanity, even the smallest experience can change a person’s life. Illnesses like schizophrenia and paranoia are a kind of psychic phenomena which influence a person’s madness (Thomson). Madness manifests itself in literature as a metaphor for psychological conflict which are not of pathological nature (Thomson). This contains fervor that has created components of reason and common-sense that are not typically connected to madness. In conclusion, insanity in literature taps into a realm of madness that depicts a sort fascination by the average individual. Madness in literature will continue to remain complex and an engaging topic that depicts one’s own dysfunction

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