Symbolism In The Godfather

THEMES AND SYMBOLS IN THE GODFATHER
In the middle of 20th centuries, number of film that influenced by the period after WW I, was featured on. One of the most successful ones can be undoubtedly The Godfather. It is a crime film, which is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S., from a screenplay by Mario Puzo and Coppola is based on and dates back a novel written in 1969 by Puzo. This film tells about an Italian criminal family lives in New York after the war by mirroring to features of social lives and gives strong clues to audience about the post WW I period in America. While the director reflects all of these, he uses some certain and clear oppositions like family relations-business issues, immorality-morality. Beside

Cappola gives a huge place to symbolist facts in The Godfather. Although, they are not realized by some people, these symbols which hide in a lot of scene play an important role in affecting the audiences mind. There are three major symbols that steps forward comparison to others; windows, door and orange (itself or color).The first important symbol is “windows”. It symbolizes the boundary between outer world and the world inner of home. When the outside is full of danger for Corleone family, the home is a place that they talk about their strategies and decision in the movie. Actually, the windows are like the division of violence and silence. Moreover, because of being too thin and defenseless for bullets, they also symbolize very thin lines between violence-peace and individually-society. The second symbol in the movie is “doors”. Firstly, it symbolizes sexual discrimination within Corleones family. In the movie, while these doors is separating one room from another ,actually divide the home two pieces ; male stuff like business and domestic female world in family. For example, whenever men start to talk about business, the doors get closed. When it is looked in more general way, it also reflects the place of women in society. Furthermore , like “windows” , “doors” also symbolizes the transition between business (mafia) and family. For instance, in the very beginning scene of the movie, a man who requests a favor from godfather is represented while the whole family is outside, in his daughter’s wedding ceremony. This is a perfect example about the transition of two realms of Corleone family. The last and the most used motif in the movie are