A Clockwork Orange Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary

  • It is almost 7:30 p.m. when Alex awakes. His stereo has stopped, which meant that his parents probably turned it off when they got home.
  • Putting on his coat, he peers out, bidding his parents hello.
  • Alex takes a shower, and joins his parents at the dinner table.
  • His father asks about his night job.
  • Alex responds that it's just odd things, here and there. He also makes the point that he never asks for spending money.
  • Appeased, his father talks about a nightmare he had about Alex, beaten and lying in the street.
  • Alex assures him that he's not up to no good. He reaches in his pockets and puts some money on the table, offering it to his parents to buy some Scotch at a bar.
  • The parents accept Alex's nice gesture, but decline to go out since the streets are too dangerous because of the modern youth.
  • By the time Alex gets to the bottom of the stairs of Municipal Flatblock, his droogs are already waiting…yes, dressed in the heighth of fashion.
  • The entourage lets Alex know that thye got worried when he was late.
  • Alex recounts his day: headache, then the visit from P. R. Deltoid. He conveniently leaves out the girls.
  • Georgie gets sarcastic with Alex.
  • Alex goes on a rant about leadership and sarcasm, and insults Dim.
  • Georgie defends Dim, asking Alex not to pick on him again and saying that the posse has agreed on doing things a "new way."
  • Alex gets flippant. New way? No way.
  • Pete chimes in and says that the posse wants things to be more democratic. Instead of Alex making the calls all the time, they ought to be able to voice and do what they want to do.
  • Georgie announces that he has a "mansize" plan for tonight.
  • Seeing that he is outnumbered, Alex smiles and plays along, asking Georgie about his plan.
  • Georgie says that the gang should sharpen up with some spiked milk first, and starts to lead the way to the Korova.
  • Alex hears Beethoven's Violin Concerto on the radio of a passing car, and he feels a violent surge in his veins. He draws his knife on Georgie.
  • Georgie draws his knife, and the two have at it until Alex cuts Georgie's hand.
  • Now Dim uncoils his chain and lunges at Alex. Alex gets hit on the back, but manages to get back up and slash Dim's left wrist. Blood gushes out like a fountain.
  • Alex challenges a worried Pete. Pete is afraid that Dim's going to bleed to death.
  • Alex, now binds Dim's wrist with some cloth in his pocket. Declaring himself master and leader again, Alex gets his friends to the Duke of New York for a calm time.
  • They see the alibi ladies, who are ultra-friendly with them.
  • Alex confirms with Georgie that all is forgotten.
  • Georgie suggests that his "mansize" plan for the night is to rob the Mansion (or the Manse), where a very old woman lives with her cats and valuables.
  • Alex agrees that it's a great idea.
  • Alex promises the alibi girls more drinks when they get back in ten minutes.
  • Giving us a bit of foreshadowing, Alex says he "led [his] three droogs out to [his] doom."