A Clockwork Orange as a Modernistic WorkA Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, published in 1962, technically falls after the period considered "modernism", but embodies all the characteristics that were characteristic of that literary era. Burgess' novel is a futuristic look at a totalitarian government. A Clockwork Orange abandons normal "language" (which modernists believed could not always convey meaning anyway) and is written in "Nadsat" (meaning adolescent). It is a slang spoken by teenagers of the time. Burgess uses approximately two hundred and fifty "nadsat" words (most of which have Russian roots) to convey his story. This gives the reader a sense of intimacy with Alex and his "droog" (friends) due to the fact that the adults in the novel cannot understand what they are saying (govoreeting). There is also a disruption of the linear flow of the narrative outside of this private language; Alex ("Our Humble Narrator") tells the story in a memorable sequence, but often interjects with thoughts or questions posed directly to the reader. Aside from the strange language found in the pages of this novel, one of the most obvious modernistic characteristics is Burgess's ability to shock. There are many different scenes that are quite disturbing and violent. Alex's penchant for raping (ten-year-old) girls and his absolute joy at the sight of blood and pain. '...as I tore off this and that and the other...and a true horror show [good] groodies [breasts] were they who then showed their pink glasses [eyes], O my brothers, as I untied [I undressed] and got ready for the big step. As I dived I could hear the cries of agony' (Burgess 23). This ties in with the fact that, as readers, we tend to follow the actions of Alex and his droogs and it's easy to get caught up in all the violent action and lose sight of the true meaning of Burgess' novel. Burgess writes this novel to and from "ID". Alex and his dogs embody all animal or primal instincts and the story that has been presented to the reader has little regard for realism. We are presented with a world where teenagers rule the nights, keeping all the real people in their homes. A world where there are milk bars (moloko kordova) where 15-year-olds can be served drug-laden milk.