Essay Example: Psychopathology in A Clock Orange Movie

Description of Psychopathology

Psychopathology is the study that deals with cognitive malfunctions in the form of distress, illnesses and the abnormal behaviors among people. It is also regarded as the maladaptive behavior among people. Powerful technologies such as molecular genetics and statistical models exist to help people understand the origin of psychological suffering. The evaluation of mental health conditions are guided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that describes the criteria for mental diagnosis. Different assumptions underline the classification of the disorders that are described in the DSM-IV-TR, and one of the assumptions is that mental disorders are categorical. Factors like maladaptiveness, loss of control, and the underlying psychological have been approved as the relevant criteria as well as constitutive of psychopathology. Psychopathology symptoms have been evaluated in different movies with one of the movies being A Clock Orange has raised many psychological worries that have not been answered. The film has mirrored the dilemma that an increase in moral values leads to the decrease in freedom. It is a double society that is beautiful but consists of the victims and the perpetrators at the same time. The main aim of the paper is to provide a complete analysis of the psychopathology symptoms that are presented in the movie as well as the DSM-IV diagnosis of Alex (the protagonist).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Analysis of Psychopathology in A Clock Orange

A Clock Orange is a movie by Stanley Kubrick that was produced in 1971, and it is an adaptation of the novel A Clock Orange that was completed by Antony Burgess. The movie features violent images, political/social aspects in a double society, social gangs in the society as well as the psychiatry subjects in the society. However, in the moves, the fixed responsibilities have been interchanges among the people, making it hard for the observer to pin the responsibility on a single person in reducing freedom through power. The movie also portrays a clear image of different personalities along with violation of the laws. There is the surreal environment that is created in the movie where the DSM disorders are differentiated from the standard behavior. Further, the psychopathology signs are presented in Alex`s personality traits who takes the dominant role in the film, and he is also the gang leader.

Scenes with Psychopathology symptoms depicted in the film A Clock Orange

The movie portrays psychopathology signs in the personality of the 15year old boy called Alex. The Psychopathology symptoms presented in the film are a failure of confrontation to the social norms that result from the respect of the lawful behaviors that is indicated by repeated acts. There is also a depiction of deceitfulness that has been repeated, and in this case, people lie for their reasons. The other psychopathology symptoms presented in the film include remorse, recklessness, impulsivity, constant irresponsibility, physical assaults aggressiveness. There are the symptoms that can be observed in the movie, and as you watch the movie, the observer is interested to discover other unexpected behaviors portrayed by Alex because he suffers from disorder DSM-IV.

Alex is the protagonist in the film, and he portrays the criteria and the symptoms of DSM-IV. In the film, the actions of Alex follow a steady pattern of violating the rights of others in the film. There are many instances of unlawful behavior for instance violence, brutality, rape, murder theft depicts the diagnosis of DSM-IV. For instance, the two scenes where he says "Excuse me, Mrs. Can you please help? There`s been a terrible accident. My friend is in the middle of the road bleeding to death! Can I please use your telephone for an ambulance? Missus! It is a matter of life and death!"

Based on the two scenes, the only thing that Alex was interested in was to make the victims believe his story and allow him to access their houses so as he can complete his mission. For Alex, the only way to get people to believe him was to lie to them a technique he has been using for a long time and he has also managed to get the attention of the parents. Alex uses his charming personality to fool others, and in the movie, he also portrays the other personality of torturing others "It has been a wonderful evening and what I need now, to give it the perfect ending, was a little of Ludwig Van." This indicates his pleasure in torturing others. Alex continuously portrays irrational decisions and the fact that he has impulsive behavior make him bold to deal with the consequences.

Further, Alex frequently rapes, assaulted and stole from the victims. He also destroyed their properties as he laughed as he did these actions proving the satisfaction he was attaining from the actions. The ultimate of DSM-IV is presented in a scene where Alex is singing as he is raping a woman. This indicates that Alex enjoys all his actions, he enjoys torturing, humiliating other people, and that he is ready to lie only if he is in a position to torture others.

Characterization of forms of Psychopathology in A Clockwork Orange

Providing the actual diagnosis of the DSM-IV is complicated. In the movie, the disorder of the diagnostic system has been precisely differentiated with the standard behavior in the Western society. Alex is the leader of the gang, and it is proved that he has all the characteristics of psychopathology. He is an individual who will always get anything that he has focused on, and for him once Alex has set his mind on anything he will have to get it regardless. As much as the gang has negative impacts on the society, doe Alex, there are many pleasures that Alex derives from the actions of these individuals. Alex rapes, tortures and violates other people, but for him, there is much pleasure that he derives from his actions. As Alex accounts for his actions, Alex presents himself by narrating everything they have committed with his friends. The revelry is linked to the pleasure that he takes from the different crimes such as rape, assault murder, and theft. The criminal actions are committed by his friends when they resume for long night rampages that involve stealing, killing and convincing the innocent residents to open doors for them in the pretense that they need urgent help. During this time, Alex holds the dominant position within the group and does not have a close relationship with the parents. The psychopathology of Alex is presented in different parts of the film. Even the time that he was undergoing the rehabilitative treatment that was directed by the psychologists, they end up arguing that he had a psychological disorder that could not be treated.

The Positive and negative messages in the Movie

In the movie A Clockwork Orange, it gives rise to multiple questions that are rooted and linked to the DSM-IV disorder. As much as the movie has been regarded as one of the best movies, sarcastically it has made some critics citing its nature as well as the content. The primary reasons for the critiques include the scenes of sex and violence that have been presented. Further, the extreme sexual violence in the movie has also been opposed by the British laws. Among the positive messages presented in the film is the portrayal of psychological disorder. In the movie, it represents the symptoms that the 15-year old boy is suffering that have contributed to his hatred within the society. Alex is a boy that indicates aggressive and deceitful character, and this has affected the lives of several people including women and men who are his victims. It is, however, a disorder that is present in real life especially among individuals suffering from psycho diseases. It is verifiable that individuals with these diseases behave just like Alex, and through the detailed study provided in the movie it enabled the researchers to improve the study of the disease. Using the film, it is easy to compile the information and clarify multiple elements relating to the causes and the symptoms of the disorders.

There are also negative messages that have been presented in A clock orange. In the film, there are several instances of rape and one of the scenes has been substituted by the American censorship. Based on the movie, almost everyone is full of negative perception which presents the horrifying tendencies and practices among the young people. It is further proved that Stanley and his wife were treated and blamed for presenting the act of extremism in the society. Stanley Kubrick was willing to withdraw the movie from the public as a result of the controversies and the challenges that it faced. As a sign of defense, he stated "To try and fasten the responsibility on art as the cause of life seems to put the case the wrong way round. Art consists of reshaping life, but at the same time this does not create life, nor cause life". In this statement, Alex portrayed the unrevealed truth about the personalities and the characters that an individual possess, and in this sense he did not intend to present that such people exist in real, but he believes that there are some who behave and act like Alex at some time in their life due to the psychopathological disorder.

The movie also portrays negative messages about extremism, rape, and violence. The deeds of the gang members and Alex are an accurate portrayal of the psychological development during the infancy stage. The movie tries to reveal the fact that the behavior of these individuals is oversexed where young girls put on padded bras so that they can appear as mature individuals. Further, the rape scenes are also shot at a similar place that is forbidden, which is a clear indication that it is an issue that is not acceptable in the society. Also, the segregation of the unwanted behavior portrayed by Alex by the use of technology is also something that is not real, and this is the reason the audience argued that it is not possible to eliminate the brutal as well as the aggressive behaviors among people within the shortest period.

Based on this, some scenes are unacceptable by the audience. For instance, the rape scene of the writer`s wife along with the singing when he was committing such violent acts cannot be regarded as extreme by psychopathology. Also, according to the culture of many families, it is hard for the teenagers who are not conversant with the psychopathological behavior to understand the limits of sex and violent actions in the society.

Conclusion

Based on this, some scenes are unacceptable by the audience. For instance, the rape scene of the writer`s wife along with the singing when he was committing such violent acts cannot be regarded as extreme by psychopathology. Also, according to the culture of many families, it is hard for the teenagers who are not conversant with the psychopathological behavior to understand the limits of sex and violent actions in the society. Based on this, some scenes are unacceptable by the audience. For instance, the rape scene of the writer`s wife along with the singing when he was committing such violent acts cannot be regarded as extreme by psychopathology. Also, according to the culture of many families, it is hard for the teenagers who are not conversant with the psychopathological behavior to understand the limits of sex and violent actions in the society.