Michael's Separation and Estrangement in The Godfather Anonymous College

The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, follows the story of the Corleone family. The movie focuses particularly on Michael as he is drawn inevitably into the mafia because his father, Don Vito, is shot and needs someone to step up to run the family business. Separation is a theme that Michael embodies over the course of the movie. It is for this reason that he can be considered the tragic hero. Joining the family business causes him to permanently strain his relationship with his family and his wife, Kay. His loss is made quite apparent in the final scene of the movie where he becomes the new Godfather in the place of his dead father. This scene emphasizes the weight of Michael’s new role as well as the distance that he has put between himself and his family.

A clear parallel can be drawn between this scene and the opening scene. The opening scene shows Don Vito conducting business with Bonasera. Both scenes depict the amount of respect that is meant to be paid to the Godfather. It is customary to show respect by kissing his hand and referring to him with the title “Don Corleone.” Both Don Vito and Michael are given this special treatment which also shows the power that they have. The parallel also emphasizes the...