Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel 'A Clockwork Orange' is famous for its linguistic invention, 'Nadsat,' a slang mixture of English and Russian. However, a major literary discrepancy exists between the British and original American editions. The British version contains 21 chapters, with the final chapter showing the protagonist, Alex, growing out of his violent tendencies and desiring a normal life. Burgess chose 21 chapters to symbolize the age of maturity. When the book was first published in the US, the publisher insisted on cutting the final chapter, ending the story on a much darker, nihilistic note where Alex remains unchanged. This altered version was the basis for Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film, leading many to believe the story is inherently pessimistic, whereas Burgess intended it to be a story about the human capacity for moral choice and growth.