The Life and Work of Anthony Burgess
"Autobiography: Story of one's life, written by oneself."(Halsey 64).
Everyone knows what an autobiography is, but not so many people realize that although not all authors write a book that can be called a factual autobiography, many authors frequently allow personal, real life experiences to influence their fictional writings. An excellent example of such an author is Anthony Burgess.
Anthony Burgess is recognized today as an English novelist, critic, essayist, and composer (editor CLC 80). Burgess is such a literary genius, it was once said of him that "... his agent, publisher, and his entry in "Who's Who" could not provide the exact number of books he wrote." (Baldwin A8). Some of
Burgess's works include The Long Day Wanes, The Doctor is Sick, and, perhaps
Burgess's most famous book, Clockwork Orange. A Clockwork Orange is an interesting novel that paints a picture of a gruesome violence in the not-so- distant future. The story is based on, and told by the narrator, the fifteen- year old Alex, but it shows many references to the life and experience of its author. In a series of five books, Burgess also focused on his life experiences.
Enderby's Dark Lady was the fifth in the series, and that will be the second book focused on in this paper. Anthony Burgess's work in A Clockwork Orange and
Enderby's Dark Lady strongly reflects significant events or influences in his own life.
Anthony Burgess was born John Burgess Wilson in Manchester, England in early 1917. (Stinson 1). Both of Burgess's parents were members of the theatric arts: His father was a pianist, his mother was a musical actress. Burgess went to a Catholic elementary school, and was one of the many victims of the "iron discipline and largely rote memorization" (Stinson 2) typical in such schools of the time. Burgess attended Xaverian College, and later moved on to the inexpensive University of Manchester, where he hoped to pursue an education in music. He was rejected form the music department because he had failed physics.
Instead, Burgess entered the English department (Stinson 6). In 1940, Burgess graduated with his B.A., with honors, in literature and English language
(Stinson 7). Shortly after, Burgess enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and spent most of his six years in the service in the entertainment section, playing the piano and writing songs, or in the Army Educational Corps (Stinson
7). In 1946, Burgess was discharged with the rank of sergeant-major. Burgess found himself employed in several different jobs, and living in several different countries in the years that followed.
“The old Inquisition had its rack and its thumbscrews and its instruments of torture with iron teeth. We know what these things are today: the iron teeth are our necessities, the thumbscrews, the high-powered and swift machinery close to which we must work, and the rack is here in the ‘fireproof’ structures that will destroy us the minute they catch on fire,” suffragist Rose Schneiderman vehemently declared in a memorial speech after the terrible tragedy that occurred more than a century ago. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire was one of the deadliest industrial disasters in United States history. Taking place on March 25, 1911 in New York City, a fire broke out on the 8th floor of the factory, spreading quickly to the 9th and 10th floors,
Alex Forrest is a Caucasian female in her mid-thirties. Alex is an editor for a newspaper. She lives alone in a spacious apartment in New York City. She is single, however she is currently involved with a married man and reports that she is pregnant with his child. She appears to have average to high intelligence.
"Our Lady of the Angels School Fire." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Apr. 2014. Web. Apr. 2014.
We’ve all done it: walking down a hallway, judging someone or thinking someone is less than what we perceive ourselves to be based on the color of their skin or how they are dressed, or even their physical features. The author of The Language of Prejudice, Gordon Allport, shares how we live in a society where we are ridiculed for being less than a culture who labels themselves as dominant. This essay reveals the classifications made to the American morale. Allport analyzes in many ways how language can stimulate prejudice and the connection between language and prejudice.
was then sent to the Indiana Boys School in Plainfield where he ran away another
For years, America has always been perceived as one of the top world powers due to its ability of achieving so much technological, economical, and social progress within a mere couple decades. Despite their great accomplishments, America is actually regressing psychologically, preventing the country from reaching its true potential as an “opportunity rich” country. In Anthony Burgess’ Is America Falling Apart? , the author unveils the circumstances in which America’s restricting society and selfish ideology cause the nation to develop into the type of society it tried to avoid becoming when it separated from the British Empire.
year old, is a boy who most can relate to. The book explores most aspects of
"Then two months later, Wayne Westerberg knew about Alex’s death. Wayne then thinks about the time he met Alex. He picked up Alex in Montana (1990). Alex stayed with Westerberg for three days and Westerberg helped Alex with his jobs. Alex worked for Westerberg. However, later Wsterberg was arrested for stealing. Alex gave Westerberg a book before he got arrested.
As history is written, people will analyse it. These opinions range from support to the actions taken to extreme disagreement with what has happened. In some cases, people will use this to try and write the next chapter of history. One of these people is Chris Hedges. Since 2007 he has written a multitude of essays that take a deep look at American foreign and domestic policy over the years. His overall conclusion is that there needs to be some sort of revolution in the United States to solve its problems. While I agree with the majority of his analysis, I do not agree with his conclusion. I will examine two of the essays he wrote, to call to attention my specific complaints. I will also be commenting on two of the sources he uses in each essay.
Riveted is a scholastic book that targets to explain the different supports of accomplishing his "compelling foundations theory". The author, Jim Davies, exposes the developmental foundations of why we find things compelling, such as religion. Compelling is a way of showing interest and attention. Professor Jim Davies extended theories on learning and how they relate to Theory of Mind. Jesse Bering, a cognitive scientist thinks that people’s religious beliefs come from humans’ formation of what Davies calls the Theory of Mind. Dr. Jesse Bering’s theory can be explained through the discussion of learning skills, learning disabilities and curiosity by exploring the ways that contribute to peoples’ established beliefs of religion.
artist whose work he liked; his agent sought him out and arranged the terms." (23)
in a Jewish family in Germany. My family and I were sent off to a
Alex meets a young girl named Nadia and the two become good friends. These two experience even more weird events, such as becoming captured by Indians, discovering lost species who were presumed to be extinct (such as small, flying wyverns and the Beast[s]), and even discovering El Dorado (and possibly the Fountain of Youth). Eventually, Alex and Nadia foil a scam within the expedition’s crew and were almost shot (some of the crew members weren’t even aware of the scam). When these con-artists are arrested, Alex and Kate safely return
The title character, Alice, is a young girl around pre-teen age. In the real world, the adult characters always look down on her because of her complete nonsense. She is considered the average everyday immature child, but when she is placed in the world of "Wonderland," the roles seem to switch. The adult characters within Wonderland are full of the nonsense and Alice is now the mature person. Thus creating the theme of growing up'. "...Alice, along with every other little girl is on an inevitable progress toward adulthood herself"(Heydt 62).
Many have compared life to a journey over the course of which, one experiences many tumultuous changes and transitions. On this journey, the human body continually undergoes a developmental pattern of physical, mental, and social modifications. Even in the realm of literature, fictional characters inevitably follow this fate. In literature, the stage between childhood innocence and adulthood transforms characters, this is frequently referred to as "coming of age". Because all humans experience this transition, it establishes "coming of age" as a timeless universal literary theme. Among such "coming of age" novels is Lewis Carroll’s tale about a seven-year-old Victorian girl named Alice. In the novel, "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland", Alice falls into the curious world of Wonderland. Alice assuages and manages inter-conflicts, such as her identity. Through the confusion, experimentation, and uncertainties of the Wonderland between childhood and adulthood Alice realizes in her unconscious state that she is changing from simple child into a young woman.