Based on what I have seen so far in the movie and looking at Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” I have some predictions as to what is going to happen next. First off, I believe that Michael is the hero in the Godfather and we will continue to follow his journey. At this point in the movie I believe that Michael is beginning stage three of the ‘Hero’s Journey’. He will continue to have to go through trials to ensure he is the hero in the next part of the movie. I think that the archetype of ‘star-crossed lovers’ is going to be used in the film where Kay will die due to the disapproval of society. Another possibility for Kay is that the family accepts her, but later on she shares secrets with a rival family and then Michael (or someone else) may be forced to kill her.
Because Kay has been portrayed as the scarlet woman so far in the film I believe that ‘cheating’ on the Corleone family is something she would do. Kay has Michael’s heart and she may use that fact later in the film to hurt the family. In a way, Kay has seduced Michael and she may go behind his back and hurt the family.
Later on in the film Michael will probably go into ‘The Innermost Cave’ where he will have a realization this is his new life and will be ‘reborn’ through an experience and will change emotionally. After that, something may happen to a main character, maybe even the Godfather, that will change Michael’s role in the family and put him as the number one. There are some symbols and characterization that have lead me to believe that Michael will become the new Don. First of all, there was a number 2 on the door at the hospital then, Michael went through the door possibly symbolizing that Michael was becoming the number two. As well, Michael had a halo behind his head when neither Tom nor Sonny did. The way that Michael acts is very similar to how the Don acted at the beginning of the movie leading me to believe through characterization that Michael is going to replace the Don.
I understand that so far in the movie Clemenza has been Michaels mentor. Clemenza both called Michael a hero and gave him the ‘magic weapon’. Because we have only seen Clemenza so far as being Michael’s mentor just as he is becoming a hero he may only be the ‘threshold guardian’ and another person will have a greater role later on in the movie as Michael's mentor.
Alison, your predictions are very interesting and most of them are similar to mine.
ReplyDeleteBased on what we have seen so far (about half the film) I think Michael is the hero in the film, similar to you. I think that right now Michael is in the initiation stage, according to Campbell’s hero journey. He has become more aware of his family’s mafia business since the injury of his father. He has matured and is now taking on more responsibilities. I think the next stage for Michael will be the ritual which will test his skills. He will go to a meeting with the Corleone’s enemies and kill them which will assess his skills and pledge to the family. I think he will be able to kill the men, and once he does, he will have more respect from the family. I think Michael will move into another position of the family, or ‘state’ according to the ritual archetype.
I think that Michael will become the next Don since he is the hero in the film. He is the protagonist of the film and he has changed throughout the film so far. In the beginning of the film, Mike was against his family and didn’t want to partake in the mafia activity. Since the injury of Vito, Michael has been working with the family to keep the political power. He has emerged into a new life and now Michael cares about his family and the mafia business.
I disagree about the rebirth of Michael. I think that he has already been reborn. I think that when he went to the hospital to see his father he pledged himself to his family and father. I think the door at the hospital was Michaels threshold. I agree with you about the number 2 symbolizing the Michael will be the second Don, but I also think it was his gateway into the mafia world. Physically, Michael entered the threshold to the hospital room, but symbolically he opened himself up to the mafia world and pledged himself to his family.
Based on the film so far and the hero’s journey, we could both possible by right or we could be wrong. It is very interesting to see how the hero’s journey does play a major role in the film and I am excited to see what happens next and if our predictions are correct. :)
~ Karina