Literary Features Hunt: characterization and symbolism

        Michael: one of the sons of the Godfather, is characterized as if he does not want to be belong in the Corleone  family. He is a an outsider from his family and it looks like, he wants to be."We're not taking the picture without Michael"says the Godfather. The godfather knows that Michael does not want to be apart of or have anything to do with the mafia business. "Luca Brais held a gun to his head, and my father assured him that either his brains--or his signature--would be on the contract. That's a true story. That's my family, Kay. It's not me." Michael is explaining to Kay how he is not like the rest of his family and he is not involved with illegal crime. He is trying to get away from his family and living his own life with no influence by his family for making him do the wrong thing. His family; however, still treats him as a family because they are not willing to take the family picture without him. "Santino, go tell your brothers that I went them to come with me to visit Genco to pay their respects. Tell Fredo to drive the big car... outside now." says the godfather."Sonny (Santino): "Uh, Pop... Michael?"The Godfather: "All my sons" The Godfather includes Michael in his list of who is going to come visit Genco with him even though, he knows that Michael is probably not going to attend. 

                   Symbolism is also used in The Godfather to display how Michael is trying to be extraordinarily different from his family. For example, he dresses in an army suit when he attends the wedding and he brings a non Silican girl to the wedding. Kay Adams, the girl that he brought to the wedding, stands out in the crowd and is an outsider just like Michael. When Kay arrives at the wedding she is dressed in a red dress while everyone else is wearing other colours including white. Coincidentally, everyone else at the wedding was wearing either a red or white flower, besides Michael and her. Is it a coincidence that Michael brought a girl that is dressed in red?
        Other things in the movie that contributes to the motif of outsiders include: the Godfather and his mafia crime is an outsider with the normal people (he has enough money to invite many people to his daughter's extravagant wedding) and how Tom Hagen is an outsider to the Godfather's family because he was adopted by the Corleone family. Even though Tom Hagen is somewhat an outsider to the Godfather's family, the Godfather treats him kindly and he is a big help to the godfather's business. The Godfather has a sweet and friendly heard to his family but a violent and dangerous one to others, especially if they are involved with his mafia crime.