Penguin Readers Factsheets l e v e l E T e a c h e r’s n o t e s 1 2 3 The Godfather 4 5 by Mario Puzo 6 INTERMEDIATE S U M M A R Y he story of a mighty, New York Mafia clan, The Coppola. For this the two men won an Oscar in 1973. T Godfather created a worldwide sensation when it Puzo went on to write other books but none as was published in 1969, and also later when it was successful as The Godfather. He had other major released as a film in 1972. Its author, Mario Puzo, had filmwriting successes with Superman I and Superman II. succeeded in creating an epic work of the imagination that nonetheless captured the very essence of what it was like to be part of the Mafia, the Italian criminal organization ‘ T H E GODFATHER’: THE F I L M whose inner workings had hitherto been so carefully Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is universally hidden from public view. recognized as a masterpiece and one of the great films of The Godfather tells the story of two generations of the the 20th century. From the start, both Puzo and Coppola Corleone family. The head of the family, or the ‘Godfather’, envisaged the famous actor Marlon Brando as Don is Don Vito Corleone, who is head of a vast criminal Corleone. Brando was unrecognizable on screen as the empire. He was born into a poor family in Sicily, but the formidable ‘godfather’, giving one of the most powerful family moved to New York and he has built up a criminal performances in film history. At almost three hours long, empire, sending his underlings to wound and murder the film was very faithful to the book, although the people – but only when ‘necessary’, i.e. when his subplots had to be dropped, making the heart of the story opponents will not be ‘reasonable’. In this way, for the transfer of power from Don Corleone to Michael. The behaving honourably within the standards of behaviour of young, virtually unknown actor Al Pacino played Michael, the Mafia, he has earned the respect of the other Mafia managing the astonishing transformation on screen from families. idealistic war hero to icy Mafia don. Corleone has four children. His oldest son, Sonny, is a Coppola, himself an Italian, succeeded in giving the film violent and impulsive man, without his father’s farsighted an authentic Italian feel. He said, ‘It was my intention to genius. His second son is weak. The youngest, Michael, make this an authentic piece of film about gangsters who wants no part in his father’s criminal activities. But other were Italian, how they lived, how they behaved, the way Mafia families, sensing internal conflicts in the family, they treated their families, celebrated their rituals.’ The almost succeed in assassinating the ‘Godfather’ – and film won three Oscars. Michael is sucked into a whirlpool of murder and violence. The novel charts Michael’s progress from an innocent into a ruthless Mafia chief BACKGROUND AND THEMES Sicily is an island in Italy where in the past the only law ABOUT MARIO PUZO was that of revenge – ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’. The Corleone family emigrated to America, and the Mario Puzo was born in 1920, the son of Italian-born boy Vito Corleone took with him his belief that the law parents. He was brought up in a New York Italian ghetto would not protect him or his kind. Therefore, he has amid real poverty. From an early age Puzo wanted to be a become a law unto himself, taking it upon himself to w r i t e r, earning the scorn of his family. He became protect anyone who turns to him for help, provided that moderately successful, writing short stories and two well- they will acknowledge him as overlord or ‘boss’ and help received literary novels which did not earn much money. him by doing him a ‘favour’ when the time comes. Then, at the age of 45, he set out to write a book that One of the most fascinating things about The Godfather would make him rich. It took Puzo three years to research is the contradiction at the heart of it. The reader’s mind and write The Godfather . A major Hollywood film studio tells him that Don Corleone is a ‘bad’ man, a murderer. bought the film rights at manuscript stage. The book was However, the reader’s heart tells him that Don Corleone is an instant bestseller and within a year had achieved a ‘good’ man. He has integrity, a brilliant brain, he loves worldwide fame. Puzo went on to collaborate on the his family and his protection extends to hundreds of screenplay of The Godfather with its director, Francis Ford people. He is a reluctant murderer, one created by the © Pearson Education 2000 l e v e l Penguin Readers Factsheets 4 T e a c h e r’s n o t e s history of Sicily; and his hope – not to be realized – is that Chapters 8–12 his children will grow up as honest American citizens. Put students into pairs. Ask them to discuss these The Godfather shows us a world within a world. The questions. Mafia system has its own laws and its own bru t a l (a) What examples of betrayal are there in these punishments for transgression of those laws. The chapters? What other example of betrayal has there characters in the book are enormously colourful; and the been in the book? Why do you think these men betray their families? plot is melodramatic yet entirely believable. Yet the reader must not forget that the novel is a book about cold- (b) Don Corleone talks about a man who will betray Michael to Barzini. Who do you think the traitor might blooded treachery. be? Why? Puzo said, ‘The Godfather is about more than the Mafia; (c) Do you think Michael has betrayed Kay? How do you it’s about a powerful man who builds a dynasty through think he might betray her in the rest of the story? crime – but he wants his son to be a senator, a governor. Chapters 13–15 It’s about the very nature of power. What it does to you. Who survives. I think it’s a tragedy.’ Teach the words ruthless and evil. In pairs, students answer these questions. Then have a whole-class discussion about (b). (a) How does Michael show that he is completely ruthless Communicative activities in these chapters? (b) Do you think Michael is an evil man? Say why/why not. The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text as the exercises at the back of the Reader, ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK and supplement those exercises. For supplementary 1 In pairs, students discuss the following question. exercises covering shorter sections of the book, see the photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. How are Michael and Sonny different from each other? These are primarily for use with class readers but, with the Do you think it was a good thing that Sonny never exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, became head of the Corleone family? Give reasons for can also be used by students working alone in a self- your opinion. access centre. 2 In groups, students write down three things that they have learnt from reading The Godfather. Then have a ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK whole class discussion about these things. In pairs, students look at the picture on the book cover. Ask students to describe the man on the cover, both physically and what they think his character might be. Ask G l o s s a r y students to describe how they feel about the man, whether they like/trust him, and why they feel this. Ask It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. them also to describe the kind of life he might live, his They are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections of exercises at the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman family etc. If students have seen the film The Godfather Active Study Dictionary.) they can use that information. Chapters1–2 bet (v) to try to win money by guessing the result of a race ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION favour (n) something you do for someone to help them Chapters 1–2 hug (v) to put your arms round someone in a friendly way and hold them tightly Put students into groups of three. One student plays respect (n) admiration for someone because of their knowledge or Corleone, one student plays Tom Hagen and one student skill plays Jack Woltz. Corleone and Hagen explain their cruel Chapters 3–5 act to Woltz, who can answer them in any way he wants. betray (v) to behave dishonestly towards someone who trusts you Before students do this role play, you could put the cord (n) a thick piece of string students playing the same character in pairs, and ask pavement (n) the path you walk on at the side of a road them to prepare what they are going to say. permit (n) an official written statement saying that you can do something Chapters 3–5 revenge (n) something you do in order to punish someone who has harmed you Put students into small groups. Ask them to tell the story trust (v) to believe that someone is honest and will not lie to you or of how Sollozzo and the Tattaglia family attack and kill harm you members of the Corleone family.