Throughout the movie, he is exposed to all sorts of behavior as well as a murder. He doesn't rat out the killer. This killer, happens to be the sort of "godfather" of this Italian neighbor hood. His name is Sunny. He could do anything he wanted because people had the most respect they could have for him than anyone else they knew. Sunny gambled, which is how he made the majority of his money. He quickly took in "C" as a son to him. He showed him his way of life and his philosophy. "The working man is a sucker," he always said. This influenced C in his way of life. He clung to Sunny as a father and learned his ways. As soon as Sunny took C in, everyone gave C respect.
It was mostly cause they all feared Sunny that C got respect. When people fear you, they do things for you without question. They respect you out of fear that someday you wont be there to help them out if they need it. Sunny was right. Being available is the key to being so loved as a public figure. You need to be distant so you people think that they need you but also be close to see whats going on with everything.
Does fear influence people more than respect?
Do people tend to react more to other situations when they are not directly involved?
Was C right in looking up to Sunny more than paying attention to his own father?
I would argue the movie was about wrestling with the different factors/groups that influence a young person growing up (buddies=peer group, family, sonny=society, etc) and in the end it is about finding a good balance, one which his father seems to be trying to teach and that the movie portrays as triumphing in the end.
ReplyDeleteMany do think fear is the key motivator, some say selfishness/greed, others say it is being inspired for a positive good. I hope it is the positive good, but there is plenty of evidence to support all contentions.