In Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange," the phrase "clockwork orange" symbolizes a person who may seem vibrant and full of life but lacks genuine agency or free will. This metaphor suggests that such individuals, while visually appealing, are ultimately mechanical beings driven solely by external forces, either divine or demonic.

The quote implies that true humanity involves the capacity for both good and evil choices. When a person can only act in one way—either purely good or purely evil—they are stripped of their free will, becoming akin to a puppet controlled by outside influences, rather than a self-determined individual capable of navigating the moral complexities of life.