A Clockwork Orange Scene 9 Summary

  • In the prison chapel, a chaplain with bad teeth chastises the prisoners, while a man makes kissy faces at Alex.
  • The chaplain threatens them all with eternal hell and damnation, but the prisoners aren't scared. They make fart noises and laugh.
  • As everyone sings hymns, Alex reveals, via voiceover, that he's been in prison for over two years.
  • His job is to help the prison chaplain.
  • He imagines himself being in charge of crucifying Jesus, and enjoying it.
  • He enjoys the general violence and debauchery of the Bible, and the Biblical fantasies keep him going.
  • In prison, he is able to make others think he's repentant by studying the Bible all the time.
  • The chaplain says he has shown a genuine desire to reform.
  • Alex wants to ask the chaplain a question in private about a new treatment that gets people out of prison in no time at all.
  • He volunteers for the new treatment: the Ludovico Technique.
  • The chaplain says it's just an experiment, not being used in this prison yet. "There are very serious dangers involved."
  • But Alex doesn't care. He wants "to be good."
  • The chaplain isn't sure about this technique. He thinks true goodness comes from within, when a man chooses to be good.
  • Alex has made his choice. He chooses to be good.