The Godfather

Discuss Don Corleone’s belief in destiny. How is this belief created by his own history, and how does it play out in the way that he runs the Corleone family business?

What is Kay Adams’s role in The Godfather? Why does Puzo choose to have Michael be involved with, and eventually marry, Kay instead of a more traditional Sicilian girl?

Discuss Carmella Corleone’s role in the Corleone family. What part does she play in the family business, if any? What beliefs does she adopt to lead a contented life within the Corleone family home?

“I’ll make an offer he can’t refuse” is one of the most famous lines of dialogue in The Godfather (43). What does the Don mean when he says this, and how does this statement illuminate the Don’s basic business model?

Discuss the character of Tom Hagen. Why does Puzo bring Tom into the Corleone family and put him in a position of such great power? What might the author be trying to say, both about the Don’s way of doing business and about the public’s understanding of the Mafia?

What function does Apollonia serve in the story? Why does Puzo have Michael fall in love with and marry her, only for her and their unborn child to die before Michael leaves Sicily?

Discuss the structure of The Godfather. Why did Puzo break his narrative into books and then further into chapters? Why did he create a narrative that jumps across time and in and out of character’s perspectives, instead of maintaining one consistent narrative and point-of-view?

Discuss Puzo’s use of Sicilian terms, such as caporegime, omerta, and consigliere throughout The Godfather. What is the effect of introducing these terms and using them to discuss the Corleone family and the Mafia business in general?