IT AM LECTURE 13

LECTURE MAY &

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THE GODFATHER

GODFATHER: The PEAK of the ascent

Cartoons: (dangerous, deviant, non-human)
caricature and distant representation

SON from the other side of the Atlantic at the same time of cartoons.
Real, autobiographical, streets and foods and smells and blood and death.
Slave replacement labor: lowest of the lowest.
The other side of the moon, oppressed, exploited, unity falls apart.

THE ITALIAN. Urban. The technology introduces the notion of narrative of these immigrants. they can be narrated in full stories, bigger depth.
Still potentially dangerous, not quite civilized yet, but probably they will make it.
America is still not their land, they come here to escape, for money and family, not to be part of the nation, to be American.

CHRIST: They want in. they settled, buy a house, strive to become GREAT AMERICANS.
they created a community, they are essential, but still MARGINALIZED, EXPENDABLE.
THEY ARE KEPT AT THE MARGIN

and instead of integrating, THEY STAY AT THE MARGIN.

GODFATHER: STILL AT THE MARGIN Fabula time is 1946, the real time is 1969.

Do you remember the video about the 'Mericans' (Italian who realizes he is an American when he is already an adult?)

From the '30's to the '70's they are still not integrated.

FAILURE OF INTEGRATION: kept outside, and they reacted by pushing themselves to the extreme.

POLITICAL STATEMENT:

in 1972, ITAM bring a suit against CUNY for discrimination of the work place.
They win the suit: ITAM are protected class (Affirmative Action) in CUNY.

What does it mean to you? They were being kept out. AS A GROUP, and also as INDIVIDUALS.

IN THE FILM: INSULAR AND MARGINALIZED:
The wedding in a walled garden. In their world.
Traditions. But why not at the Warldorf Astoria or the Plaza? They have the money to do it.

Senators, judges etc CANNOT GO. They are toxic, not proper to associate with Corleone in public.

They bring in their own entertainer, top of the charts, Frank Sinatra.

SYMBOLISM of EXTREME EMARGINATION:
who is the most brutal, the most violent, the most out of control, even in his loyalty?

In the movie a moment where Corleone is afraid. CLIP

(The worst handled character in the movie LUCA BRASI)

WHY is it FAILED INTEGRATION?

IDEOLOGY: pag 362, Michael to Kay. (Hubris)

Speech to BOSSES: 284/285
(rationalization of criminal behavior: if I don't do it, someone else will: we are better 287/288)

290 WE REFUSED TO BE FOOLS, PUPPETS TOTALLY DELUSIONAL,

Corleone victim of circumstances,
can't escape his destiny

IS HE A POSITIVE CHARACTER as he is presented in the book / film?

Do you think that book and film give him the MORAL and ETHICAL justifications for his conduct?

And what is YOUR opinion about him? A HERO or the embodiment of EVIL?
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METAPHYSICAL perspective:
GODFATHER AS EVIL.

Movie more than book

1. When he first appears with the UNDERTAKER, Buonasera.
Dark, cavernous, hell like.

2. ABBANDANDO: 45

HIS CHOICE: kill Fanucci (could have been a also run petty criminal until he got a job)

Establish OLIVE OIL monopoly: burns down competitors

Swearing on grand children p.291

Metaphysics of hatred == malocchio
(p 291, speech to Mafia bosses)

Loyalty?
389 making money defrauding Johnnie Fontane.

oath of honor on his grandchildren that he won't seek revenge

FILM: Michael's tie.

Baptism: godfather in the Catholic sense (renounce Satan)

Don Vito's death: the monster.

441 -442

LUCIFER

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inferno_-_Canto_trentaquattresimo

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The REAL GODFATHER

Bonanno

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THE MULTICULTURAL THESIS

April 4, 1968 Assassination of Martin Luther King

June 6, 1968 Assassination of Robert Kennedy

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GODFATHER AS HERO TO ITALIAN AMERICANS

The myth of the strong man. Violence as positive value = part of the American value system.

The HERO (from the Greek tradition to Rome - to the chivalric tradition - to the military leader.)

Notion of hero switches to a Northern interpretation, the conqueror= chivalry, medieval feudal cast system.

The Christian hero (Parsifal) Crusades= the Knights - hero for a cause not for personal gain.

HERO as patriot (formation of nation states, 1500 - 1800)

NATION STATES/ ITALY

ITALIAN PSYCHE: the underdogs

National anthem NOI FUMMO PER SECOLI CALPESTI E DERISI (1800's)
COMMENT

Anger, resentment, humiliation, revenge, poor self esteem, inferiority complex.

WWI LA VITTORIA MUTILATA

MUSSOLINI --

Italians AND Italian Americans invest emotionally very heavily in Mussolini.

GLORIES of ROMAN EMPIRE

WWII - defeat.................. MUSSOLINI BUFFOON

NOTES FROM BOOK

WORKSHEET

MODERNISM CLICK THIS LINK