Perpetuah Mwai
Professor Krajewski
English 101
July 17 2012 The Godfather The film opens up with Don Corleone; the head of the family oversees his daughter’s wedding. Michael his last child had just returned from the war, but he doesn’t intend to join the family business, later he becomes the savior of Corleone’s family. 2. Turk a drug dealer requests Vito for investment and protection of his drug business through his political connections but Vito declines and disapproves the drug business. Vito says that his business [gambling] does not conflict with Turk’s. Later we see Vito sending Luca Brasi to spy on Tattaglia family but he doesn’t return. During chrismas, we see Michael and Kay celebrating and buying gifts while on the other hand Hagen is kidnapped, Sollozzo tries to assassinate Vito which lands him in the hospital. Michael stands as godfather during christening of Connie and Carlo’s son. As the christening proceeds, Moe Greene is assassinated on Michael’s orders. After christening Michael questions Carlo on his involvement in setting his brother’s [Sonny] murder and Carlo confesses he was approached by Barzini.Michael orders that he goes back to Vegas and he is escorted to the car, Clemenza kills him. Connie confronts Michael of her husband’s murder but Michael denies it. 3. Women in Corleone’s family were not involved in family business. Sonny is a married man but he fools around with other women. The role of the women in Corleone family is to cook and have children. Connie [Vito’s daughter] is married to an abusive husband. Even though she is Vito’s daughter she has no place in the family business.Luca Brasi’s wish for Vito’s daughter’s wedding is that the couple’s child be a “masculine child.” Towards the end Vito tells Michael that women and children can be weak but not men. 4. Vito’s morality is first portrayed when Bonasera asks him for justice when his daughter was beaten and transfigured. Bonasera states that the State has denied him justice, he asks Don Corleone to kill them but Corleone points out that, “that is not justice. Your daughter is still alive.” Bonasera tempts him with money but Don is above that. Don tells Bonasera that he will give him justice as a gift on his daughter’s wedding day. Though Don is violent, he refuses to do “murder for money,” as seen in Bonasera’s case. He also refuses to participate in Sollozzo’s drug business because he knew that wasn’t right. He wishes Sollozzo good luck in his business. This portrays that the family and his integrity are more important than money. He knew if he accepted the offer he could be risking his life. Michael started as a civilian to becoming the savior of Corleone’s family. Michael distances himself from the family business. He tells Kay a story about Jonny who wanted to be released from a band but the bandleader refused. Michael says, “My father made but he refused…..Luca Brasi held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains or his signature would be on the contract.” Michael tells Kay, “That’s my family, but not me.”After two assassinations attempts are made against his father, Michael volunteers to kill the two men responsible of this conspiracy-Sollozzo and the corrupt police captain. Michael was prepared to sacrifice his ethic in order to survive their enemies. 5. Michael in Silican is struck by the beauty of one of the girls-Apollonia. Michael tells her father at the restaurant that he meant no disrespect or offense to him or to his daughter when describing her beauty .Michael tells Vitelli, ”My name is Michael, I am an American hiding in Sicily…..there are many people who’d pay a lot of money for that information….but then you would lose a father….instead of gaining a husband.” Michael may sound threatening but this reflects his authority and strength which we see him use to save his family. After Michael introduces himself at Vitelli’s home, they develop a romantic relationship. In a village church in Sicily, Michael marries Apollonia in a traditional wedding. Michael’s enemies learn of his whereabouts and plant a bomb in his car. As Apollonia prepares to start the car, she is killed in the explosion that was intended for Michael. 7. Religion in this film acts as a protection that guides the family. Baptism of Connie’s son covers Michael’s slaughter of his enemies. Michael renounces Satan after Clemenza kills Don in the elevator. As the priest pours the holy water on the child, blood pours from the bodies of Michael’s victims. Ritual is portrayed with Michael standing with the child, the priest and a big crowd of witnesses, but the murders represent Michael stepping in the same title, ‘Godfather’ as the role of the leader in his crime family. The priest as he finishes the baptism tells Michael to go in peace and may the Lord be with him. Michael gazes at the priest for a moment, understanding the irony. The outward expressions of a comprised religion in this film are ineffective in stopping the violence.

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