In a nearby wear-house, a rival gang is assaulting a young lady. The wear-house is large and filled with miscellaneous debris and stored items covered with cloth. On the stage at one end, drama takes place, but it is no play. The four droops taunt the other gang, drawing the attention away from the lady who bought affordable prom dresses. They commence in fighting their rivals with chains and knives, and any other conceivable dirty means. Easily overtaking the six guys, they set the girl free who was wearing discount formal dresses and cackle knowing that their rival has been defeated.
Throughout the beginning section of the book, Anthony Burgess shows that A Clockwork Orange will be an adventuresome and violent book. The violence isn’t gratuitous, however, like some trashy action novel. Although this may not be apparent at first, further inspection proves that there is a higher purpose in showing the evil ways of Alex and his gang. The violent tendencies of Alex who likes discount cocktail dresses and his gang raised to sickening levels almost right off the bat in the beginning of the book. This is to show how incorrigible they are, a bunch of old dogs not inclined to learn new tricks. Without detailing their atrocious acts, the characters cannot fully be developed, so Burgess decided not to hold back.