Don Analysis in The Godfather

The title used by Vito Corleone, “Don” means “boss” or head of a crime family. An honorific title that denotes respect and power, the word originates in the Spanish titles “Don” and the feminine “Donna.” Under Spanish rule, Sicilians adopted these titles and applied them to members of the nobility, such as barons, priests, large landholders and other respected men and women. Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather is largely responsible for associating the term “Don” with the Mafia, and some real-life Mafia bosses adopted the term after the release of Puzo’s novel and its subsequent film adaptations.

Don Quotes in The Godfather

The The Godfather quotes below are all either spoken by Don or refer to Don. For each quote, you can also see the other terms and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

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), Jerry Wagner and Kevin Moonan, Don Vito Corleone

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

“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

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: Michael Corleone, Kay Adams, Don Vito 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

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

Related Characters: Johnny Fontane (speaker), Thomas “Tom” Hagen, Don Vito Corleone

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

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

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

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

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

Related Characters: Don Vito Corleone, Phillip Tattaglia, Emilio Barzini, Thomas “Tom” Hagen

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

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

Related Characters: Michael Corleone, Dr. Taza, Don Tommasino

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

“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

“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

“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

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: Michael Corleone, Don Vito Corleone, Kay Adams

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

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

Related Characters: Michael Corleone, Albert “Al” Neri

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

Don Term Timeline in The Godfather

The timeline below shows where the term Don appears in The Godfather. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Also standing at the door with him are the Don’s two elder sons. The eldest, Santino “Sonny” Corleone, is a tall, powerful man with a... (full context)

The wedding guests notice that Don Corleone pays little attention to Michael. Before the outbreak of World War II, Michael was... (full context)

Don Corleone understands that being a Mafia Don attracts the presence of law enforcement. He disapproves... (full context)

...honor with whom he is having an affair despite being a married man. From inside Don Corleone’s office, the acting Family Consigliere (advisor), Tom Hagen, gives the Don the list of... (full context)

First, the Don meets Nazorine, who has contributed money to the bakery union that Don Corleone controls. The... (full context)

...Tells Kay, much to her shock,) that Brasi once single-handedly killed six men who threatened Don Corleone’s olive oil business. His reputation aside, however, Brasi humbly congratulates the Don with a... (full context)

In his office, Don Corleone meets with Amerigo Bonasera, who begs the Don to murder the two men who... (full context)

Johnny Fontane arrives at the wedding and sings a song. The Don then meets with Johnny, who is his godson. Johnny complains that his voice is shot... (full context)

At the hospital, Genco implores the “Godfather” Don Corleone to save him from death. The Don admits that such an act is beyond... (full context)

...his own son. Hagen attended law school and worked as a lawyer before accepting the Don’s offer to work full-time for the Corleone Family. Hagen arrives in Los Angeles and meets... (full context)

Tom Hagen meets with Don Corleone to discuss the Woltz affair, as well as to plan the upcoming meeting with... (full context)

Sollozzo wants to use Don Corleone’s political contacts in order to shield his drug distribution from Sicily into America. Despite... (full context)

Don Corleone, Sonny, and Hagen meet with the fearsome Sollozzo, who informs them the rival Tattaglia... (full context)

...Christmas gift. Michael also calls to tell Hagen that he and Kay will meet the Don at his Long Beach home on Christmas Day. Hagen walks down a New York City... (full context)

The narrative shifts back in time to the afternoon before the Don is shot. That afternoon, the Don’s normal bodyguard, Paulie Gatto, calls in sick, and Don... (full context)

Michael Corleone arrives at the mall. Clemenza greets him and tells him that the Don is going to be okay. Fredo is sleeping in another room, while Sonny and Tessio... (full context)

After some thinking, the men conclude that Paulie Gatto is the one who betrayed Don Corleone because he stands to gain the most from colluding with Sollozzo and the Tattaglias.... (full context)

...Sollozzo let him go after he convinced the Turk that he could get Sonny and Don Corleone to make a deal on narcotics. When Tom learns that Sonny wants revenge, he... (full context)

The narrative shifts backward in time. The night before Don Corleone is shot, Luca Brasi meets with Bruno Tattaglia (the son of the head of... (full context)

Once Michael moves his father to a room at the end of the hall, the Don smiles at the presence of his youngest son. “Why should I be afraid now?” Don... (full context)

Having moved Don Corleone to a different hospital room, Michael steps outside to wait for Sonny’s reinforcements. Suddenly,... (full context)

...by, and that McCluskey is on the Turk’s payroll. He concludes that McCluskey called off Don Corleone’s guard detail so that Sollozzo could finally murder the Don. McCluskey tells his officers... (full context)

...The Turk and Michael converse in Italian. Michael demands that Sollozzo end his attempts on Don Corleone’s life. Sollozzo says he cannot promise anything, and that by refusing to share his... (full context)

...Johnny from winning an Academy Award for his role in Woltz’s recent picture. He offers Don Corleone’s aid in the matter if Johnny is willing to start acting like “a guy... (full context)

...more powerful than the actual government in Rome. When Vito was 12, the local Mafia Don murdered Vito’s father and older brother after a protracted feud. Fearing that the adolescent Vito... (full context)

...insulation between himself and any operational act” so as not to implicate himself as the Don of a criminal syndicate. He also forbids the caporegimes from associating with each other in... (full context)

Don Corleone has established himself as New York’s most powerful crime lord, and his influence begins... (full context)

Don Corleone also continues to help those who swear their loyalty to him. Nazorine the baker... (full context)

Carlo Rizzi resents the Corleone Family. Following his marriage to Connie, Don Corleone gave him a small bookmaking operation on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The operation pays... (full context)

...on the face. Connie’s face is now so swollen that she decides against visiting the Don. “Slapping the spoiled little bitch around” makes Carlo feel good because it alleviates “some of... (full context)

By mid-February, following the Christmastime attack on his life, Don Corleone’s family moves him from the hospital back to the mall, which is now an... (full context)

After informing Don Corleone about Michael and the murders of Sollozzo and McCluskey, Hagen and Sonny exit Don... (full context)

...over violence. Moreover, Sonny is unable to address these weaknesses because he is only acting Don and therefore must still defer to the still-recovering Don Corleone on major Family matters. The... (full context)

Hagen tells Bonasera, “you owe the Don a service,” and instructs him to meet the Godfather at his funeral parlor in one... (full context)

In the embalming room, Don Corleone’s men remove the blanket covering the body on the stretcher, revealing the “bullet-smashed face... (full context)

Hagen must now wake Don Corleone and tell him that his son is dead. As he struggles to find the... (full context)

Once Hagen has finished with the details, Don Corleone explicitly forbids any of the men to seek vengeance without his approval. “There will... (full context)

...retaliation they believe is sure to come from the Corleones. Instead of bloody vengeance, however, Don Corleone sends emissaries to each of the families to propose a peace meeting. He invites... (full context)

The first to arrive after Don Corleone and Tom Hagen are Carlo Tremonti, boss of the American southern territory, Joseph Zaluci... (full context)

Don Corleone is the first to speak at the meeting of the Dons. He thanks the... (full context)

“When have I ever refused an accommodation?” Don Corleone responds, “but I had to refuse this time. Why? Because I think this drug... (full context)

Some of the other Dons speak up. They express personal distaste for drug trafficking but admit that the business is... (full context)

Phillip Tattaglia, however, still has concerns that Don Corleone will seek “individual vengeance” for the murder of Sonny. In response, Don Corleone vows... (full context)

“The time is past for guns and killings and massacres,” Don Corleone concludes, “we have to be cunning like the business people, there’s more money in... (full context)

When Don Corleone and Tom Hagen arrive home, Clemenza dismisses the Bocchicchio hostage that acted as surrogate... (full context)

Inside the house, Don Corleone reiterates to Hagen that he should explore every possible legal avenue and spend as... (full context)

One evening, an old Sicilian woman named Filomena visits Michael and asks if he is Don Corleone’s son. She says that the Don once saved her life, and when she learns... (full context)

...to Apollonia. It is the last morning they are to spend at the villa, as Don Tommasino has arranged for them to move to a town on Sicily’s southern coast. The... (full context)

...medical director for the Family’s existing hotels until the hospital opens. Michael tells Fredo that Don Corleone has special plans for him, and Fredo wonders if the Don is angry over... (full context)

After he arrives home from Las Vegas, Michael holds an evening meeting with Don Corleone, Tom Hagen, Carlo, Clemenza, and Tessio. Since the meeting of the Five Families and... (full context)

...questions and resolve your doubts,” Michael insists, demonstrating his clear power as the new acting Don. (full context)

Michael adjourns the meeting and shares a drink with Hagen and Don Corleone. Tom wants to know why he is “out” of the Family business, to which... (full context)

After Hagen leaves the meeting, Michael tells Don Corleone that his coming plan will serve as both vengeance for Apollonia and Sonny as... (full context)

It is a sunny Sunday morning. The Corleone women are attending church and Don Corleone is tending to his garden. He moves among the plants spraying invading ants with... (full context)

Don Corleone’s funeral is a “royal” occasion. The Dons of the Five Families attend with their... (full context)

Before his death, Don Corleone believed that Neri could be a new “Luca Brasi” for the Family. Once, Michael... (full context)

When Michael asks which of the other Dons approached Carlo to betray Sonny, Carlos says it was Barzini. As punishment, Michael says he... (full context)

...control of the remaining Barzini rackets and murder those men still loyal to the murdered Don. Those Barzini and Tattaglia caporegimes who are not killed immediately switch their loyalties to the... (full context)

...when she sees Clemenza, Neri, and Lampone enter Michael’s room with their bodyguards in tow. “Don Michael,” Clemenza says. Kay watches as Michael receives the men’s homage like the “Roman emperors... (full context)

Don Term Analysis

Don Quotes in The Godfather

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 8 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Chapter 12 Quotes

Chapter 14 Quotes

Chapter 16 Quotes

Chapter 19 Quotes

Chapter 20 Quotes

Chapter 23 Quotes

Chapter 25 Quotes

Chapter 27 Quotes

Chapter 28 Quotes

Chapter 29 Quotes

Chapter 30 Quotes

Don Term Timeline in The Godfather