Fejzoski 1
Sabrije Fejzoski
Mrs. Rath
Sociology
15 October 2013
Deviance and the Sociological Analysis of The Godfather Part I
In Mario Puzo's The Godfather Part I, the Corleone family demonstrates
deviance when one compares it to the society that contains no organized crime
influence. Deviance is also shown through different members of the family as well as
other characters introduced throughout the course of the movie. By watching the
portrayal of the overall Corleone family one can see how structure is formed from
home life to crime life, and one can also see that social conflict can arise through the
danger promoted by the family "business." The Corleone family has two branches:
the crime family and the home family. Some characters may be involved in one
Corleone family but not the other, and some people may belong to both. At some
points, the reasons why the separations occur cause conflicts between the members
of the family. A key influence of the Corleone family is the act of being a family. Other
major influences are the drive for revenge, the need for respect, and the demand for
justice. All of these influencing factors pull the Corleone family down the road of
deviance, and digs them the pit of everlasting vengeance.
To begin with, organized crime involves the sale of illegal goods and services.
These can include prostitution, drugs, and gambling. In The Godfather Part I, the
Corleone family was connected with both gambling and drugs whether or not they
Fejzoski 2
wanted to be. The Corleone family was known to be involved in, and it was quoted by
the eldest son, Sonny Corleone, that the family is in gambling and the unions. This
was said when Sonny was pitching the idea of involving the family in the drug...