Mafia Analysis in The Godfather

The Mafia is a type of organized crime syndicate whose principle operations include organizing and overseeing illegal activities such as racketeering, extortion, prostitution, drug trafficking, bootlegging, political corruption, union infiltration, murder for hire, and gambling, among others. The Mafia also settles disputes among criminal factions and protects them from one another’s’ cheating. In addition, Mafias dispense extralegal justice by playing the role of a government for the criminal underworld and offering protection for people who cannot go to legitimate authorities because they are involved in illegal markets. In popular culture, “the Mafia,” or Cosa Nostra (“our thing”) usually refers specifically to the Italian-American crime families (as depicted in The Godfather) that have long dominated organized crime in New York, Chicago, and other cities. The word “Mafia” has diverse origins, but likely derives from the nineteenth-century Sicilian term mafiusu, which loosely translates to “swagger” or “bravado” and refers to an arrogant bully who is also fearless and enterprising. Italian mobsters’ brash criminal behavior, combined with their frequent, often exaggerated displays of masculine bravado has associated them with the term “Mafia” in the popular imagination.

Mafia Quotes in The Godfather

The The Godfather quotes below are all either spoken by Mafia or refer to Mafia. 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

“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

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

Mafia Term Timeline in The Godfather

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

Don Corleone understands that being a Mafia Don attracts the presence of law enforcement. He disapproves of Sonny’s angry display because he... (full context)

...Woltz to reconsider his response to Don Corleone, the producer angrily warns him, “if that Mafia goombah tries any rough stuff, he’ll find out I’m not a band leader.” A disappointed... (full context)

...planning the murder of his protégé, Paulie. He had brought Paulie up studiously through the Mafia ranks until Paulie “made his bones” and established a good living within the Corleone Family... (full context)

...police captain, and that attacking the two men would cause an uproar both in the Mafia and among the police and other officials who are on the Corleones’ payroll. “The Corleone... (full context)

...McCluskey found it easy to collaborate with him and Sollozzo, especially since he believes no Mafia hood would dare kill a police officer. (full context)

...drives off. The next day, police departments across the city declare that contacts with the Mafia will cease until they find McCluskey’s killer. An assailant tosses a bomb into the Corleone... (full context)

...Godfather was born Vito Andolini in the village of Corleone, in turn-of-the-century Sicily. There, the Mafia acted like a “Second government” that was more powerful than the actual government in Rome.... (full context)

...avoid crossing a “man of respect” who is “reputed to be a member of the Mafia of Sicily.” (full context)

When Don Corleone proposes a partnership with the Mafia boss Salvatore Maranzano, who controls the gambling rackets in Brooklyn, Maranzano spurns his offer. Corleone... (full context)

Seeking to rid New York of all organized crime save for the five major Mafia families, Don Corleone enlists Sonny as his go-to executioner behind only the more fearsome Luca... (full context)

...“personal authority” and therefore “cannot be countenanced.” As the police “desire for vengeance” against the Mafia fades, departments once again let the Families operate most of their operations with minimal interference. (full context)

The Mafia war reveals the Corleones are unsuited for a protracted struggle. Tessio and Clemenza are competent... (full context)

...Corleone “with a feeling of the utmost despair.” He is well aware of the ongoing Mafia war and fears that he may be targeted by Don Corleone’s enemies. Suddenly, he hears... (full context)

The narrative goes back in time. As the Mafia war rages on, Sonny Corleone massacres an army of pimps, “shylocks,” union officials, and bookmakers... (full context)

...Family has roots in southern Sicily, where it was among the most fearsome of all Mafia branches. Members of the Family embrace a blood loyalty that is “severe even for a... (full context)

...America had to offer,” they “became negotiators and hostages in the peace efforts of warring Mafia families.” They specialize in hostage swapping to ensure protection for mob representatives. When Michael Corleone,... (full context)

...is too lucrative and therefore impossible to avoid. Don Zaluci of Detroit proposes that the Mafia keep drugs “respectable” by not peddling narcotics near schools and limiting the trafficking to “colored”... (full context)

...are members of legitimate society, and that this legitimacy is the future for which the Mafia rulers should strive. (full context)

...Michael Corleone fled to Sicily. Being in Sicily helps Michael understand why his family became Mafia criminals. In Sicily, “he saw what they would have been if they had chosen not... (full context)

...is fond of both books and prostitutes, and he entertains Michael with stories of the Mafia’s past exploits. Michael learns that the word “Mafia” originally meant “a place of refuge,” and... (full context)

The Mafia established its power through the code of omerta and its role as an organization that... (full context)

...his medical literature” and only passed his medical exams “through the good offices” of a Mafia chief. This demonstrates why the Sicilian Mafia is “cancerous to the society it inhabited.” Under... (full context)

...Dr. Taza attributes to a damaged facial nerve (a favorite spot on the body for Mafia torturers). Don Tommasino is dealing with delinquent Mafia thugs in Palermo who view him as... (full context)

...sinks as he asks Michael if he is “a friend of the friends,” meaning the Mafia. (full context)

Although Michael denies being a member of the Mafia, the café owner surmises otherwise. He identifies himself as Signor Vitelli and tells Michael to... (full context)

Mafia Term Analysis

Mafia Quotes in The Godfather

Chapter 1 Quotes

Chapter 8 Quotes

Chapter 9 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

Mafia Term Timeline in The Godfather