Evolution of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972)

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Evolution of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972)
The film begins with Michael having recently returned as a war hero who does not want to do anything associated with the family business. However, Michael is in charge of the same family business towards the end of the movie. He has transformed greatly in character and behavior. Ordering the killing of people, including his brother-in-law, is a norm for him. There are various incidents that could have led to Michael’s drastic change from an honorable war hero into a cold-blooded mafioso. Generally it can be argued that Michael’s change began when he had to protect his father in the hospital after being shot. Although he was merely protecting his father, he was participating in the family business and the events that followed never offered him a single opportunity of turning back. The paper discusses some of the incidents that followed and completely changed the personality of Michael in The Godfather.
After moving his father, Michael is confronted by McCluskey, a police captain. They engaged in an argument over whether his father should be protected by the police. Michael ended up suggesting that the officer should take the initiative and check with his crime boss, but things turned against him. His statement angered the officer who punches Michael in the face and breaks his jaw. The punch marked the initial and most important incident that changed his life and perception of things. Being punched by a police officer while protecting his father ignited a vengeful flame in him (Farber 219). In the same spirit, he volunteers to meet Solozzo, the crime boss, and his protector, McCluskey. Michael is ready and determined to kill the family’s main rival and the officer who punched him. Such a move proves his commitment to the family is a long-term ambition because he is ready to sacrifice his life.
Later on, Michael executes two men by shooting them in their heads and he is protected by his extended family in Sicily. He is ready to venture into the dark side of his life. At this moment, his ambition of living outside the family business has completely vanished. During his hide out in Sicily, Michael gets to find out about his older brother’s death. Neither his father nor his remaining brother Fredo is in a position to take proper care of the family business at that moment. It is a direct call which he cannot avoid, he must take over the family business when he returns to America. He is destined for the top position in the family’s business. While in Sicily, Michael is lucky to find love and happiness after meeting a beautiful young lady. But this never lasted long. His wife died in a car bomb explosion, which was meant to kill him. The unexpected demise of his wife permanently hardened Michael. From this moment, Michael becomes a completely different person. He is ruthless, cold, and into business like never bef...