Families That You Can't Refuse

Source: The Godfather Trilogy

Relation: Robins Chapters 5 (pg.129) and 6(pg. 146)

Anthropology is a science of connections. Bringing one idea to another, whether in a symbiotic system or a cause-and-effect relationship, is the essence of the science, or indeed, any science. Part of who we are deals with the relationships we form with other people, how we affect them, and their effect on us. So it makes perfect sense that the people we devote the most time to, have the more profound effect on what we say, how we act, who we associate with. Across all cultures, people exist in social units, which more often than not consist of relatives, people who share a common lineage of elders and ancestors. You and I would probably call such a group by its specialized name: family. Because family exist together for periods of time that exceed generations, and because prolonged exposure to kin can lead to an effect on another's personality, it is credible to suppose a relationship between family and personal identity.

All families have a unique over-all identity, because it is not possible to replicate all the experiences and personalities that compose a family unit. A family is also a hierarchy, so personal identities are formed for each family member, regarding their position in the unit. This idea of a ranked family is elaborated, much to our entertainment, in the classic film, The Godfather.

Separate members of the Corleone family have separate roles and jobs, which contribute to their identity as a whole. Michael Corleone, the Godfather or head of the family acts according to his position by being stoic, polite, and fairly emotionless. To be the head of a crime family, one has to think logically, because the whole organization might crumble otherwise. It's his position in the family that surfaces these characteristics, the necessities of  being the head honcho in a patriarchy. Essentially, as his role in the family changed from underling to boss, so did his identity and the way he viewed himself. This promotes an "identity struggle" (Robins 146), as among some of his other family members, particularly his wife, the change is a stark contrast between the Michael Corleone they knew and loved, and the new Godfather Michael, who has changed his mannerisms in response to his new responsibilities.

Fredo, Michael Corleone's little brother, undergoes an identity struggle as well. The position of Godfather is an impartible inheritance (Robbins 129), meaning it cannot be split between two people. As a result, Fredo loses his equality with Michael and in turn becomes an underling to the Godfather. Whereas contentedness and a willingness to help the family used to be focal points in Fredo's demeanor, rebellion and selfishness take over, ultimately leading to a confrontation that ends in Fredo's death. Shifting positions in a family can lead to a disharmonious nature withing the unit, leading to shifting alliances and therefore identities throughout. There are a myriad of other equatable identity shifts throughout the Godfather trilogy, dealing with maternal roles, marriage roles, sibling roles, etc. It exemplifies the impact families have on one's apparent demeanor, and the way that one might view themselves.