Background of the Study

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of five parts. The first part is background of the study. The second part presents the problem formulation. There are two problems that will be discussed. The third part is objectives of the study. The fourth part is benefits of the study. The fifth part, which is the last part of the introduction part, is the definition of terms.

A. Background of the Study

Most people agree that family is very deep and close relationship. Nobody needs convincing that relationships are important in our lives, whether in a family, society or country. Actually, the bases of all relationships come from family. According to Pikunas in Structure, Sound and Sense, family is an enduring social group based on marriage and blood relationship Pikunas 58. As we know, there are people that call themselves as a family although they do not have blood relationship. We all are influenced by the family we have, from the first day we breathe. It is stated by Stagner that the first factor influencing individuals’ personality is the family situation, namely the treatment received from parents, in terms of affection, authority, and discipline Stagner 48. In other words, family has power and control over us. If one attacks a family member of ours, it feels like we are attacked too. Family is interesting to study because there are many things in the family that make people feel responsible for their own families. The meaning of family itself is universal. One agrees that he needs a family to depend on because he cannot live alone. For an Italian, for instance, a family has a high value that needs honouring. It is so sacred that every member should respect family. As moral values behind the meaning of family, of course, are interesting to discuss so they are often portrayed in a work of literature. Therefore, the rise, difficulties, conflicts and loyalty in a family can be good themes for novelist to express his concern. The Godfather by Mario Puzo 1969 is a novel about Don Vito Corleone’s family, a mafia Sicilian family. The novel shows how important family and friendship can be to some people and how far some people will go to keep their word. We can easily feel attracted to the world of the Corleone family because we do not get the feeling that they are doing anything wrong because we do not see civilians become victims of their actions. Those who are punished are villains who have either threatened or betrayed the family. Each individual within the Corleones is known as a family. Grabianowski’s Mafia: An Overview states that not everyone within a family is actually related to one another, although it is common for them to include outsiders into the family as their brothers or fathers. The family ties are very close and deep because they have the same view with other members of the family. The cultural background of this novel is very clear because the pride to be an Italian family is also shown in the novel. Although the Corleone family has lived in the United States of America for years, but they sometimes still speak in Italian language and use Italian words. Even, they still eat Italian food. They do their way in an Italian way. According to Cawelti in Adventure, Mystery, and Romance: Formula Stories as Art and Popular Culture, the best-selling novel and film of the late 1960s and 1970 were Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Its impact has been so great that millions of copies of the book had been sold in little over three years, and many more millions of movie admission-that one does not need much prescience to predict that this work will be a major turning point in the evolution of popular literature Cawelty 51. The novel then inspired Francis Ford Coppola to make The Godfather into the movie. There are three sequels of the film, namely, The Godfather, The Godfather II, The Godfather III. However, the one that is based on The Godfather novel is the first film, The Godfather. What we can learn from this novel is the importance of having family loyalty because we can use it as a safeguard and social supports. Reading this novel can make us feel that we enter The Corleone Family’s world, and live in their rules. The loyalty to the godfather is true, not only from the godfather’s own family but also from the members of the Corleone organized crime. This kind of loyalty is interesting to study because everyone on the family is willing to give their lives to the Don, the godfather.

B. Problem Formulation