Skip to content

End of the world Quote by Anthony Burgess

“Yes yes yes, there it was. Youth must go, ah yes. But youth is only being in a way like it might be an animal. No, it is not just like being an animal so much as being one of these malenky toys you viddy being sold in the streets, like little chellovecks made out of tin and with a spring inside…” quote by Anthony Burgess
Download Open image
““Yes yes yes, there it was. Youth must go, ah yes. But youth is only being in a way like it might be an animal. No, it is not just like being an animal so much as being one of these malenky toys you viddy being sold in the streets, like little chellovecks made out of tin and with a spring inside and then a winding handle on the outside and you wind it up grrr grrr grrr and off it itties, like walking, O my brothers. But it itties in a straight line and bangs straight into things bang bang and it cannot help what it is doing. Being young is like being like one of these malenky machines. My son, my son. When I had my son I would explain all that to him when he was starry enough to like understand. But then I knew he would not understand or would not want to understand at all and would do all the veshches I had done, yes perhaps even killing some poor starry forella surrounded with mewing kots and koshkas, and I would not be able to really stop him. And nor would he be able to stop his own son, brothers. And so it would itty on until like the end of the world, round and round and round, like some bolshy gigantic like chelloveck, like old Bog Himself (by courtesy of Korova Milkbar) turning and turning and turning a vonny grahzny orange in his gigantic rookers.””

Anthony Burgess

About This Quote

Source Novel: A Clockwork Orange, 1962 (parody excerpt)

Compares youthful impulsivity to a toy that runs on its own, highlighting lack of control and inevitable collisions with reality.

In simple terms: Youth is like a wind‑up toy that can’t stop itself.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and guide youthful energy.

Themes

youth impulsivity control generational cycles

Mood

reflective critical

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • parenting
  • education
  • mentorship
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

free will determinism socialization

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can guidance reshape impulsive behavior?
  • What role does society play in youth development?
A Different Perspective

Not all youth behave like toys; agency exists.

3.1 out of 5 (9 ratings)

More by Anthony Burgess

Explore all 261 Anthony Burgess quotes

More End of the world quotes

Browse all 976 End of the world quotes