Character name analysis:
Alexander - From the Greek, this name means "defending men". In the context of A Clockwork Orange, though, the name is ironic, as Alex does very little to defend anyone other than himself. He could've been named for Alexander the Great, known as a great military leader and conqueror, which is more in line with how Alex sees himself. For example, when he meets up with his droogs the evening after we first meet them, he senses that they have been scheming to usurp him as leader. "As I am your droog and leader, surely I am entitled to know what goes on, eh?" he says to them after Georgie implies a scheme that they have been devising. Soon after this, Alex attacks Georgie and Dim to intimidate them back into submission, saying in his narration, "So they knew now who was master and leader, sheep, thought I". While the name choice may certainly have been ironic based on the original meaning of the name, the character leads me to believe that the choice was meant to evoke thoughts of Alexander the Great.
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