Inside the Banned Book: "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess

#1 Most Banned Book in the 2024–2025 School Year

According to PEN America’s 2025 Banned Books Report, A Clockwork Orange tops the list of the most frequently banned books in U.S. schools. Despite its literary significance and enduring influence, it continues to face removal for its depictions of violence and rebellion — the very themes that define it as a moral warning, not an endorsement.

“Is it better for a man to have chosen evil than to have good imposed upon him?” ― Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange

“What's it going to be then, eh?” ― Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange

“A terrifying and marvelous book." ―Roald Dahl

BOOK OVERVIEW

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Genre: Dystopian / Literary Fiction

Challenge Reason:  Violence, sexual assault, alcohol and drug abuse

Audience: 16+ (mature teens and adults)

Themes and Takeaways:  Free will, morality, government control, youth culture, violence, human nature, capacity for growth

Book Resume: Time magazine 100 best books of the last century

PUBLISHER SUMMARY (BOOK JACKET)

“In Anthony Burgess's influential nightmare vision of the future, where the criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, a teen who talks in a fantastically inventive slang that evocatively renders his and his friends' intense reaction against their society. Dazzling and transgressive, A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil and the meaning of human freedom. This edition includes the controversial last chapter not published in the first edition, and Burgess's introduction, "A Clockwork Orange Resucked."”

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WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR BANNING BOOKS?

Across the U.S., book bans are guided by laws intended to define what counts as “obscene” — but those standards are often misapplied.

The ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom reports that 72% of censorship attempts now come from organized movements or government entities, while parents account for just 16%. Most challenges cite false claims of “obscenity for minors” or objections to the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters, discussions of race, or mental health themes.

Under federal law, the Miller test, established by the Supreme Court, determines whether a work is legally obscene. For a work to be legally obscene, all three of the following must be true:

1. The average person would find the work appeals to prurient (sexual) interests;

2. The work depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way; and

3. The work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

That final point — the “literary value” clause — is often overlooked. Many challenged titles, including Looking for Alaska, clearly provide educational and artistic merit, and therefore do not meet the legal definition of obscenity.

WHY IS A CLOCKWORK ORANGE BANNED?

Challenge groups cite the violent and sexual activities of the narrator as grounds for banning. Ratedbooks.org says: "This book contains explicit sexual assault; violence; gore; mild/infrequent profanity; derogatory term; alternate sexualities; alcohol use by minors; illegal drug use; and controversial religious commentary."

Specific challenged content is extracted and listed by Rated Books here.

WHAT'S REALLY INSIDE?

Literature allows readers to explore difficult ideas from a place of safety. In A Clockwork Orange, the invented slang (“Nadsat”) acts like a filter — further distancing readers from the violence and forcing them to examine their reaction to it. As the story unfolds, Alex’s government “reformation” strips him of free will, turning him into a passive machine—a literal clockwork orange: something that looks alive but operates without moral choice.

Alex, the narrator, is not a hero but a warning: a reflection of what happens when youthful rebellion collides with a broken moral system. His world is brutal, his crimes unflinching, but Burgess uses that discomfort to ask whether controlling evil by force destroys our capacity for good.

Burgess never glorifies the violence; he uses it to highlight how easily systems can trade freedom for order, and how moral behavior without choice is no morality at all.

WHY ACCESS TO THIS BOOK MATTERS

In an age when critical thinking and literacy are declining—a recent Atlantic article cites how average ACT scores recently dropped to their lowest since 1990—stories that provoke reflection are more vital than ever.A Clockwork Orange demands that readers wrestle with questions of power, ethics, and humanity. It’s not comfortable reading, but it’s transformative reading.

When we censor difficult books, we deny young adults the chance to engage safely with complexity. Burgess’s novel doesn’t promote violence—it dissects it, exposing both personal and institutional cruelty.

This book remains essential for conversations about free will, rehabilitation, and what it means to be truly human.

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO

If you’re unsure whether this book is right for your child, start by checking your school’s website or library catalog to see if it’s available.

If you prefer your child not to read it, you can contact the school librarian and request that it be restricted for your student only. This option respects your family’s values while keeping the book accessible to others who might need its message or resources.

For more help navigating these conversations, see my Parent Conversation Guide for information about:

• How to Talk to Your Teen About Banned Books

• How to Request Alternatives Without Banning for Others

READ IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

If you’ve read A Clockwork Orange, share what themes stood out most — or what you think is lost when it’s removed from shelves.

Disclaimer: This post reflects my personal interpretation of the book and current book-challenge policies. Parents and educators are always encouraged to read the book themselves before making decisions about access.