1. Puzo, Mario. The Godfather. New York, New York, USA: Signet, 1969.

2. The title of the book, The Godfather, is a reference to one of the main characters, Don Vito Corleone. The position of Godfather in the Italian Community is one of great respect, admiration, and affection. Don Vito Corleone is given this title by many as a sign of respect for the favors that he does as well for his cunning, power, and influence.

3. The major conflict of the novel concerns Don Vito Corleone and his youngest son Michael. As the Corleones become engaged in a mob war against four of the other five major crime families of New York, Michael against his intent finds himself succeeding Vito as head of the Corleone Family. The story begins at Connie …show more content…

But with this move, as you see him being greeted by his followers as Don Michael Corleone, you realize that he has lost his conflict. Throughout the novel, Vito seems at peace with his role as Don, it seems the opposite for Michael. Originally he is burdened by his family’s involvement in crime and in the very end he finds himself burdened by his role as Don. He has betrayed one of his basic natures, for the other. Rather than forging a destiny for himself away from the family business, he forges a destiny for himself that he never wanted, following his father as head of the Corleone Crime Family.

4. The protagonist of The Godfather is Michael Corleone. He is described as having straight jet black hair, an olive-brown skin tone, and a “delicate” handsomeness. Puzo describes Michael as having “all the quiet force and intelligence of his great father, the born instinct to act in such a way that men had no recourse to respect him.” Though the most obvious character trait about Michael is his ruthlessness, as exemplified of his ability to kill anyone in cold blood if it’s justifiable and his insatiable thirst for vengeance, Michael has various other traits that when combined with his ruthlessness makes him a formidable force. Michael is incredibly intelligent. Nothing exemplifies this more than the beauty of the plan that he executes at the end of the book. In order to gain the respect he needed to be Don and to