Community states that Italian respect and defer to those who are older, those who have achieved a level of business success, and those who come from well-
connected families. Giving honor to Don Vito Corleone is such a respect to the one who has made living. Without The Godfather, the Family is nothing.
d. Pride
Lucky’s The Rules of Conduct states that the word mafia was once used to describe individuals of pride, excellence, grace and self-confidence. Italians have
to apply the rules in their life and live them up. They also have to respect the women and the elders. When the members are told what to do, they have to do it
with their heart, not only just do what they have to do. It is more on the sincere will than doing instructions from the boss. When Don Vito is shot and
hospitalized, the youngest son Michael Corleone is willing to take revenge of his father’s misfortune. The plan is made. He has to kill a man, Sollozo, who is
responsible and he will kill this man with his own hands although he is known as a college boy. Because of Michael’s innocence, it will be easy to get close to the
real enemies. ....Michael flushed. “Well, they want me to go to a conference with
Sollozzo. It will be me, Sollozzo and McCluskey all on our own. Set up the meeting for two days from now, then get our informers to find out where the
meeting will be held. Insist that it has to be a public place, that I’m not going to let them take me into any apartments or houses. Let it be a
restaurant or a bar at the height of the dinner hour, something like that, so that I’ll be safe. They’ll feel save too. Even Sollozzo won’t figure that we’ll
dare to gun the captain. They’ll frisk me when I meet them so I’ll have to be clean then, but figure out a way you can get a weapon to me while I’m
meeting them. Then I’ll take both of them.” Puzo 132.
Right after the conference, Michael Corleone shoots them until they are drop dead on the restaurant floor. Michael Corleone’s feeling is hurt by his Don
Vito’s misfortune and from deep inside of him he wants to kill everyone who is responsible for it. Michael becomes ready to serve his family at all cost because
he has the pride to be one of the Corleones. When Michael Corleone becomes the new Godfather, he still has respect to
his elder brother Frederico Corleone. It happens when Michael Corleone has a meeting with Moe Green, the owner of casino in Las Vegas. Michael Corleone
finds out that Moe Green slaps Frederico Corleone in front of many people. Although it is Frederico’s faults, Michael considers it as a humiliation to the
Corleone Family. We can see the statement in the paragraph below. “Nobody answered. Michael said formally, “Freddy, you’re my older brother, I have respect
for you. But don’t ever take sides with anybody against the Family again. I won’t even mention it to the Don.” Puzo 389.
What Michael tries to say is that Frederico should have respected himself and never lets anyone disrespect the Family. Respect will come naturally when
you respect yourself.
e. Omerta
