In "A Clockwork Orange," Anthony Burgess explores the theme of free will and its significance to humanity. The statement "When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man" highlights the importance of choice in defining our humanity. Without the ability to make decisions, individuals lose their agency and connection to what it means to be human.

This quote emphasizes that the essence of being human lies in the capacity to choose between good and evil. Burgess suggests that true moral development depends on having the freedom to make these choices, implying that enforced conformity or control undermines our identity and moral responsibility.