The Godfather
The Godfather
by Mario Puzo

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Chapter 1 Quotes

It was part of the Don’s greatness that he profited from everything.

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone, Carlo Rizzi
Related Symbols: Wealth
Page Number and Citation: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
As Don Corleone is greeting guests at Connie’s wedding, Puzo gives a brief biographical background on the groom, Carlo Rizzi, leading to this summation of “the Don’s greatness.” The key to Don Corleone’s power is that he indeed “profit[s] from everything,” because money fuels the world of organized crime. Earning money is the Mafia’s primary goal, to which other values like loyalty and family are utterly subservient. Thus, for all of Puzo’s emphasis on values like family and loyalty, he always reiterates that the Corleone Family is, above all else, a profit-making enterprise. Although Don Corleone operates outside the boundaries Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiore

Luca Brasi did not fear the police, he did not fear society, he did not fear God, he did not fear hell, he did not fear or love his fellow man. But he had elected, he had chosen, to fear and love Don Corleone.

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone, Luca Brasi
Page Number and Citation: 21
Explanation and Analysis:
At Connie’s wedding, Michael tells Kay about Luca Brasi, a violent man who murders without question and possesses no empathy or compassion for others. Even Don Corleone himself fears Luca Brasi, yet Luca is unassailably loyal to the Don. In fact, Brasi loves and fears his Don even though he loves and fears nothing else. With this quote, Puzo is commenting on the nature of power within the Mafia. In the criminal underworld, those who wield organizational power control those who wield individual power. Don Corleone wields organizational power because he is the boss of his crime Family. His power, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti n

“I believe in America. America has made my fortune.”

Related Characters: Amerigo Bonasera (speaker), Don Vito Corleone, Jerry Wagner and Kevin Moonan
Related Symbols: Wealth
Page Number and Citation: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Bonasera is meeting with Don Corleone is his private chamber as Connie’s wedding celebration goes on in the outdoor garden. The undertaker is there to ask the Don to murder the men who brutally attacked his daughter. Here, Puzo comments on how Don Corleone views the nature of loyalty. The Don believes that loyalty to him should supersede loyalty to country, because unlike one’s country, the Don will never fail to reward loyalty. Bonasera’s monologue is therefore a mea culpa, an acknowledgement that he has made a mistake by prioritizing his loyalty to America over his loyalty to Don Corleone. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro pe

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone (speaker), Johnny Fontane, Jack Woltz
Page Number and Citation: 34
Explanation and Analysis:
Just before this quote, a perplexed Johnny Fontane wonders how Don Corleone will convince the movie producer Jack Woltz to cast Fontane in his upcoming film. With this quote, Don Corleone explains how he wields his power and how he is able to fulfill promises that others deem impossible to keep. The Don has built his reputation on his very real willingness to resort to violence and harm to get what he wants. His crime Family is the fruit of this reputation. When Don Corleone says he will make “an offer he can’t refuse,” he implies that the offer is Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui

“A lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns.”

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone (speaker), Thomas “Tom” Hagen
Page Number and Citation: 46
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Puzo provides background information on how Don Corleone took in the orphaned Tom Hagen, who then pursued a career in law. With this quote, Don Corleone expresses his conflicted opinion about the pezzonovante, the “big shot” lawyers, politicians, and other socially respected leaders who control legitimate society. Throughout the novel, Don Corleone and other mobsters mock and resent the pezzonovante, whom they feel unjustly dictate what other men (especially men in the Mafia) can and cannot do with their lives. Don Corleone also believes that his willingness to flout legitimate society’s laws makes him more powerful than the pezzonovante, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore co

Chapter 8 Quotes

“Even the shooting of your father was business, not personal. You should know that by now.”

Related Characters: Thomas “Tom” Hagen (speaker), Santino “Sonny” Corleone, Don Vito Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 108
Explanation and Analysis:
In the wake of Sollozzo’s attempted murder of Don Vito Corleone, Sonny Corleone, Tom Hagen, and the caporegimes struggle to find the appropriate response to the hit. Sonny in particular cannot help but take the hit on his father personally, but Hagen reminds him that it was strictly business. This passage is one of several moments in the novel where Puzo demonstrates why it is ultimately impossible for the Corleones to separate their blood family from their crime Family—business is personal in the world of the novel. By assuming the role of patriarch over a Family business that involves his Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asp

Chapter 9 Quotes

He was surprised to find himself so secretive with Kay. He loved her, he trusted her, but he would never tell her anything about his father or the Family. She was an outsider.

Related Characters: Kay Adams, Don Vito Corleone, Michael Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 112
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Michael grapples with the way that his father’s perilous brush with death brought out in him a fierce family loyalty that now supersedes his love for Kay. Here, Puzo demonstrates the all-consuming nature of a Mafia Family, how it actually undermines the very concept of family loyalty that it claims to honor. This quote marks the moment where Michael Corleone changes from a man who wants to reject his family destiny to one who wants to embrace it. In choosing to become more involved with the Family’s retaliation against Sollozzo and McCluskey, Michael sets himself down a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in

Chapter 12 Quotes

“But you can’t get sore at him. It’s like getting sore at God.”

Related Characters: Johnny Fontane (speaker), Don Vito Corleone, Thomas “Tom” Hagen
Related Symbols: Wealth
Page Number and Citation: 159
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Tom Hagen tells Johnny Fontane that Jack Woltz is using his influence to stop Johnny from winning an Academy Award. Thinking Don Corleone cannot stop Woltz, an angry Johnny lashes out at Tom before realizing that he is actually angry with his Godfather. He likens this anger to “getting sore at God.” This passage is one of several that compares Don Corleone to God, and it speaks to the immense power the Godfather wields even in the film industry on the other side of the country. By comparing the Don to God, Puzo explores his own conflicted feelings about Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempor

He could use power and monetary favors grudgingly, always alert for treason, always believing that women would betray and desert him, adversaries to be bested. Or he could refuse to hate women and continue to believe in them.

Related Characters: Sharon Moore , Margot Ashton, Virginia “Ginny” Fontane
Page Number and Citation: 167
Explanation and Analysis:
After Don Corleone promises Johnny Fontane the money to start producing his own films, Johnny looks back on his career thus far and how it impacted his relationship with women, especially his ex-wife, Virginia. In this passage, Puzo highlights the theme of masculinity and patriarchy through Johnny’s hypocritical and misogynistic insistence on blaming women for his own weaknesses and transgressions. Johnny has based his entire sense of masculine identity around the number of women he conquers sexually. When he finds success in the entertainment business, legions of adoring female fans tempt him to betray his marital vows—and he does so Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferend

Chapter 14 Quotes

When he became a Don and asked opponents to sit down and reason with him, they understood it was the last chance to resolve an affair without bloodshed and murder.

Related Characters: Don Fanucci, Salvatore “Sal” Tessio, Peter “Pete” Clemenza
Page Number and Citation: 191
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, The young Vito Corleone meets with Clemenza and Tessio and outlines his plan to pay Don Fanucci only $200 of the $700 total that the Black Hand demands from the three men. This is the first instance in the novel where Puzo emphasizes the calculated nature by which Vito amasses and maintains his power in the criminal underworld. Don Corleone’s power stems from his organizational control over various rackets, as well as his interpersonal ability to build networks and relationships backed by both favors and the underlying threat of violence. Don Corleone is a deft negotiator who prefers to Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa

Chapter 16 Quotes

She might be a daughter of the Great Don but she was his wife, she was his property now and he could treat her as he pleased.

Related Characters: Carlo Rizzi, Constanzia “Connie” Corleone, Don Vito Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 225
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Carlo Rizzi thinks about his wife, Connie Corleone. Carlo is angry with his lot in life. He married Connie hoping to secure a powerful role in her father’s crime Family, but the Don instead gave him a minor bookmaking operation. Unable to retaliate against the Don himself, Carlo vents his frustration by abusing Connie, given that she’s a Corleone. This quote speaks to the subjugated role women play as mere objects with which the novel’s male characters do what they please. Throughout the novel, Puzo highlights that Mafia culture is deeply patriarchal. It encourages men to demonstrate Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendi

Chapter 19 Quotes

She was quite content not to share the pain of her men, after all did they share the pain of women?

Related Characters: Mama Corleone, Thomas “Tom” Hagen, Santino “Sonny” Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 254
Explanation and Analysis:
Tom Hagan has just learned of Sonny’s murder while standing in the kitchen with Mama Corleone. This passage marks a rare moment when the reader gets a glimpse (however limited) of Mama Corleone’s inner thoughts. The quote indicates that, far from being ignorant about her husband’s “business,” Mama Corleone is well aware of what happens in the male-dominated Mafia. Stunned and saddened by Sonny’s violent death, Tom tries to keep his composure so as not to upset Mama Corleone. She does not seem to perceive that something is wrong, but this is a conscious decision on her part, not the Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corpor

Chapter 20 Quotes

Nothing was more calming, more conducive to pure reason, than the atmosphere of money.

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone, Thomas “Tom” Hagen, Phillip Tattaglia, Emilio Barzini
Page Number and Citation: 267
Explanation and Analysis:
Don Corleone has just brokered a peace meeting between the heads of the Five Families and other Mafia families across the country. After the murder of Sonny, the Don hopes to avoid further bloodshed by negotiating an end to Five Families War. Fittingly, the mobsters assemble in a bank conference room. This passage marks one of several instances in which Puzo emphasizes that money, above all else, fuels the Mob. At its core, the Mafia Families are profit-generating enterprises: their only goal is make money by any means necessary, legal or illegal. The supremacy of money hangs over the very Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis cons

“We are all men who have refused to be fools, who have refused to be puppets dancing on a string pulled by the men on high. We have been fortunate here in this country […] Some of you have sons who are professors, scientists, musicians, and you are fortunate. Perhaps your grandchildren will become the new pezzonovanti.”

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone (speaker), Thomas “Tom” Hagen, Phillip Tattaglia, Emilio Barzini
Page Number and Citation: 278
Explanation and Analysis:
At the peace meeting between the Five Families, Don Corleone explains why he hopes the Mafia will move towards legitimacy in the future. In this process, however, he speaks to the Mafia’s complicated view of legitimate society: the mob both rejects and embraces the legitimate power of the pezzonanvante. At first, Don Corleone compares the pezzonovante (the “big shot” doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc.) to the puppet masters who try to turn Mafia members into puppets “dancing on a string” from “on high.” The last phrase indicates that Don Corleone sees the pezzonavonate’s position as one of self-designated moral superiority. Yet, Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi

Chapter 23 Quotes

Merit meant nothing. Talent meant nothing. Work meant nothing. The Mafia Godfather gave you your profession as a gift.

Related Characters: Don Tommasino, Michael Corleone, Dr. Taza
Page Number and Citation: 312
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, Michael thinks about the corruption that runs rampant in Sicily—where he’s recently fled to—as he suffers from a smashed jaw. Dr. Taza offers to repair Michael’s jaw, but Michael does not trust Taza’s abilities. This passage marks a key moment in the novel where Puzo comments on the truly destructive nature of the Mafia, which he describes as “cancerous to the society it inhabited.” The Mafia has such a stranglehold in Sicily that a Mafia boss’s word takes precedence over any laws, customs, and requirements enacted for the general betterment of society. Like a cancer ravaging a Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus

Chapter 25 Quotes

“You’ll be my wife but you won’t be my partner in life, as I think they say. Not an equal partner. That can’t be.”

Related Characters: Michael Corleone (speaker), Kay Adams
Page Number and Citation: 346
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Michael and Kay reunite for an evening of intimacy six months after Michael returns from Sicily. This quote demonstrates the changes he underwent after he “Made his Bones” by murdering Sollozzo and McCluskey. He transforms from an outsider in his Family who once saw Kay as his intellectual equal, to a patriarchal mobster. That Michael distinguishes a “wife” from an “equal partner” indicates his embrace of the Mafia’s reactionary, Old World values as pertaining to the sexes. While far from a bastion of sexual equality, 1940s America nonetheless offers opportunities for young women like Kay that are rare in Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto v

Chapter 27 Quotes

“But don’t ever take sides with anybody against the Family again.”

Related Characters: Michael Corleone (speaker), Frederico “Fredo” Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 372
Explanation and Analysis:
In this quote, Michael reprimands Fredo for siding with Moe Green, who has served as Fredo’s surrogate (and abusive) brother in Las Vegas. Fredo initially supports Greene’s refusal to sell to the Corleone Family—and then tries to convince Michael that Moe isn’t disrespectful and abusive—and earns a severe rebuke from Michael. In this passage, Puzo highlights the supreme role loyalty plays in the Corleone Family’s business decisions. Loyalty to the crime Family always trumps loyalty to the Corleone blood family, because the Family business cannot abide traitors of any sort. The Mafia model guarantees benefits only to those who swear Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempo

Chapter 28 Quotes

“Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold.”

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone (speaker), Michael Corleone, Santino “Sonny” Corleone, Thomas “Tom” Hagen, Peter “Pete” Clemenza, Salvatore “Sal” Tessio, Emilio Barzini, Phillip Tattaglia, Bruno Tattaglia
Page Number and Citation: 387
Explanation and Analysis:
Here, Michael and Don Corleone meet with Tom Hagen, Sal Tessio, and Peter Clemenza to inform them of their plan to reassert the Corleone Family’s dominance over the Five Families and finally end the Mafia war. This passage accompanies the transition of leadership from Don Corleone to Michael, and it epitomizes the qualities that made Vito Corleone such as effective Mafia leader. The Don likens vengeance to a dish “that tastes best when it is cold” to emphasize how patience is an essential trait a Don must possess. Much like a man who waits to enjoy food after it cools Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molest

Chapter 29 Quotes

He would see to it that they joined the general family of humanity, but he, as a powerful and prudent parent, would most certainly keep a wary eye on that general family.

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone, Kay Adams, Michael Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 394
Explanation and Analysis:
At Don Corleone’s funeral, Michael thinks approvingly about his father’s legacy and wants to honor it. Although this passage represents Michael’s assertion of power and begins the Corleone Family’s triumph over the Five Families, it is also a tragic moment. Michael begins the novel as a man who himself wants to join “the general family of humanity.” He knows that his father is a murderous criminal and wants little to do with that world. Instead, he joins humanity’s family by fighting for his country, by sacrificing himself for strangers. In short, Michael begins as a symbol of hope: his path Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Vo

Chapter 30 Quotes

He understood that he would be happier in the world the Corleones had created than in the world outside.

Related Characters: Albert “Al” Neri, Michael Corleone
Page Number and Citation: 407
Explanation and Analysis:
In this passage, the novel charts how Al Neri ended up in the Corleone Family’s fold: after he accidently murders a pimp, the police force discharges him, and he is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced him to prison, but the Corleones intervene. This quote is emblematic of how Puzo skillfully presents his story in a way that makes readers sympathize with the Mafia’s point of view. That legitimate society would punish an officer of the law for ridding the world of a vile pimp and drug dealer appears to support the Mafia’s view that legitimate power is corrupt and untrustworthy. Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Qu
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