The Godfather American Culture

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Recommended: Analysis of The Godfather movie

The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is a family mafia story established through an analogy of the pre- and post- World War II gang scene, filled with organized crime in America. Set in 1940’s New York, The Godfather ultimately changed the viewpoint on American culture at the time, emphasizing the importance of tradition and respect, and how defying society’s expectations can pose a threat to those seeking the American Dream, a stark contrast from the revolutionary 70s.
The film begins with the iconic opening scene in which Don Vito Corleone, the head of the family, carries out family affairs on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Don Corleone and his son, Sonny are both approached by Bonaserra, ironically an undertaker, and beseeches The Don to execute justice against the two men who violated his daughter’s honor. Don Corleone rejects this as he thinks this man has not respected him enough. After all, the head of the Corleone family deserves respect. As the audience for this film, we also see the labeling and generalizations throughout the characters’ casual conversations, indicative of the era and traditional Italian culture. The Godfather is praised for its …show more content…

Not only that, but he has positioned himself as a leader of the community. However, it can be said that Michael, Don Corleone’s son and a military veteran, had completely unraveled that success once the family business had fallen into his lap. In an increasingly more unethical and illegitimate manner, Michael failed to acknowledge the importance of family values and respect for others and started to mix his personal vengeance with business, which Don Corleone would highly disapprove of. This helps us see the comparison of Michael Corleone and how his actions and contradicting moral values represent the corruption and failure of the American

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