metanoia [met-uh-noi-uh]
noun
1. a profound, usually spiritual, transformation; conversion.
2. Psychology. A spontaneous attempt by the damaged psyche to heal itself after unbearable conflict by melting down and restructuring itself in an a more adaptive form.
EX. After the Ludovico treatment (pictured above) subject Alex DeLarge found himself transformed from common misanthropic mischief maker to a defenseless, spineless, and gutless worm that is repelled by the very ideas of sexuality, violence and most certainly his special brand of "Ultra-Violence." His metanoia prevented him from even thinking about so much as swatting a fly or kissing a woman.
Alex DeLarge was changed into Alex DeSmall.
Fortunately or unfortunately, dependent on your political approximation and affection for sociopaths, our dear subject's transformation was less than permanent. In fact, only after a short rehabilitation, the metanoia reversed and transformed him back into the terror he had always been.
For Beethoven tells him so.
