First Conditioning Session

Alex is strapped into a chair in a special viewing room, his eyes held open with clips. He is shown films of extreme violence, including beatings, rapes, and torture. As he watches, he begins to feel intense nausea and pain, which he initially attributes to the prison food. The films are accompanied by classical music, including Beethoven's Fifth. Alex becomes desperate for the films to stop, but they continue. Dr. Brodsky monitors his reactions and declares the session a success. This is the first step in the conditioning process, which associates violence with physical sickness. Alex's love of music is also targeted, as the music in the films becomes a trigger for his nausea.