Literary Value of The Godfather

I recently was reading the novel in english class, and I read it all the time. At that particular time, it was my fifth time through it. My teacher says to me that I should read something more intellectual (I am in an advanced placement program and am in 10th grade), something with more literary value. So I told her that The Godfather was full of literary value. Mario Puzo develops the characters brilliantly, which I have had to write several essays about, just on other novels. The novel also includes the universal themes of Love, Betrayal, and Family that appear in every book we read for class. It ended with me being put outside for the rest of the period because I was insubordinate. What do you all think of the novel, in terms of it's literary value?

Does your teacher know that it was your fifth time reading it? If so maybe that is why he/she told you that you should read other books. I agree with you that The Godfatther does have many different components which contribute to it's literary value. It definately is of literary value for many of the reasons that you stated above and then some. But it sounds to me, and I may be wrong, that your teacher is somehow aware of your reading the GF so many times and just wants you to read other books to expand your literary horizons.
Want to really read a fantastic book? Rich Man Poor Man by Irwin Shaw. Talk about covering all of the aspects that would contribute to a book that has literary value. You'll blow your teacher away if you do a report on that book! Take your Don's advice and read it!


Don Cardi

I must admit, the Godfather, at some points, is poorly written and some parts are just irrelevant to the Godfather-Vito and Michael alike. You know what is cool, i am in an advanced placement class in 10th grade and read the Godfather. Conclusion: it is an excellent book most of the time

Not much.

Very entertaining, and I love it. I've read it maybe 10-12 times myself.

But, had the great trilogy of films not been made, or had they been crappy low budget films as Paramount originally planned (at least for Part I), very few would remember the novel today.

Your teacher wants you to read "great books." The definition of a "great book," for a 10th grader, is: whatever your local school board specifies as a "great book." When I was in 10th grade, we got stuck with "Silas Marner." If you didn't have to read that "great book," consider yourself lucky. After you graduate, you can define your own.
That said, I mostly agree with plawrence. "The Godfather" novel reads like a first draft in many places. But it's a fine example of storytelling, is richly entertaining, and develops its characters very well. It's not a "great book," but it's great entertainment. There's a very honored place in this world for great entertainment.

They wanted you to read a current work of fiction, huh?

Since you attended the same school system as I did, SC, what did they make you read?

That SC. He does come up with a good one every now and then.

I remember Silas Marner. George Eliot, wasn't it? And old George was a woman, if I remember correctly.

What a great book

The Godfather is a good read, but don't be hesitant to expand your horizons, which I think is what your teacher is reaching for. Try 'To Kill A Mockingbird', or 'The Pearl'.

The thing is, I'm not afraid to expand my horizons. I read all the time. But I read The Godfather when I finish a book. Over the last two years here are the books I have read: 1984-George Orwell, Animal Farm-George Orwell, Brave New World- Aldous Huxley, Lord of The Flies-William Golding, To Kill a Mockingbird-Harper Lee,
The Pearl-John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath-John Steinbeck, Othello-William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night-William Shakespeare, The Exorcist-William Peter Blatty, The Scarlet Letter-Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Crucible-Arthur Miller, The Glass Menagerie-Tennessee Williams, The Awakening-Kate Chopin, The Godfather-Mario Puzo, Wiseguy-Nicholas Pileggi, Underboss-Peter Maas, The Things They Carried-Tim O'Brien, The Hunt for Red October-Tom Clancy. My Horizons are very broad, and I read most everything I come into contact with. Right now I am reading The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzakis. I read The Godfather because I like to write, and the fundamental structure of the novel is very good to study. It's not very complex, but very legitamite and professional. thanks for the recommendation Don Cardi, I'll pick it up.

i, respectfully, disagree. What may appear as irrelevant actually makes the novel more conducive.

true, goodfella your teacher is full of it

Puzo stated in many interviews that he felt he'd written "below his gifts" with The Godfather and that he did it because he wanted to write a commercial novel.

He figured it was time that he "grew up and sold out."

I still think it's a great book and an excellent read.

Talk about literature, At my college, i signed up for a literature course called "Gangster Fiction" When the course was taught before, they read the Godfather novel (and the professor was a doctor in literature who wrote his thesis on the Jewish Mafia and has published several books (his latest is An Accidental Anarchist) as well as a poem based on a story i told him in class. Anyway, we didnt read The Godfather in that class, instead we read Legs and Devil in a Blue Dress and watched Pulp Fiction. Devil in a Blue Dress is a good book, more mystery than gangster, but good. I loved Wiseguy, and you would too if you liked goodfellas. If you like the gambling world, read Fools Die by Puzo. I havent read it yet, but i plan to this summer. Donnie Brasco is very good too. Underboss, Casino, and The Last Don were just ok. The Family is on clearance for 7.00 Hard Cover at Barnes and Noble, again i havent read that book yet, but i hear its fantastic.

That would be a cool class to take-but back on topic-My Senior English teacher told me I spent too much valuble class time on Mario Puzo novels-(I got The Sicilian taken up earlier this week but its back home now) She said The Godfather was a good book in her opinion but I should read 1984 instead so I could do my research paper. I wish I could do it on the Godfather-it would have been done already.

1984 is a great novel, but I have had to write seven essays about it, however that was in Freshman year. Orwell was a social commentator, but he could do almost nothing through dialogue, which is why there is almost none in Animal Farm. In interviews, he stated that he did not consider himself a writer, because he struggled developing characters, and writing dialogue. His characters contribute to the overall message he is trying to send in the novel. However, what I always tell my teacher, is that I am studying the elements of Literature that we study every day: The theme of 'The American Dream' is prevalent in The Godfather, as it is in The Great Gatsby. I made this point, and she shut her mouth. Wench.

Goodfella-I too have read the godfather numerous times and I too have been critisized by the subject of the mafia. I have read other books also, with great enjoyment, but its because I am obsessed with the godfather that people believe that I am reading unintellectual work. But if you really think about it-place the godfather in medivel times. Picture Vito as a corrupt king and the story revolves around his sons and the life at such high athority with love, hate, betrayal between family and enemys including rival rulers in other kingdoms, the men out to prove the corrupt life of Vito's kingdom, and even some of the actual family-love-hate-betrayal-Sounds a lot like Shakespere. The writing can become a little simple sometimes but overall, I believe that the godfather is intellectual and just because it is about a subject over commercialized by stupid movies-doesn't mean the godfather is some intellectual spoof. Sadly, the spoofs of the godfather give the mafia (as a subject)a bad name. I know its sad but it is true.
Your teacher, goodfella, probably never read the godfather...or maybe shes just not as obsessed as we are.

Oh well-thats my two cents but I've wasted too much of your time.

Personally I would have to say that your teacher has a very limited way of looking at things. The reason I love the GF trilogy is cus it's intelligent and is not afraid to be complicated or deep in terms of themes. The novel in particular is more detailed than the movie which, itself is complicated and is worth seeing at least two or three times until you get a solid idea of what's going on.

Personally, I think perhaps your teacher hasn't read the book and doesn't realize that it's not about people being whacked, it's about alot more. Such as how our environment shape us and vica versa, love betrayal, intrigue, Damn, there is something poetic about it that even Shakespeare would have approved of.

I agree. It was kind of like one of those Michael Chriton or John Grisham books of the month that becomes a best seller and then a movie is made out of it. Then forgotten a few months after the movie dies out of theaters. It was just a freak of nature because the book and movie were so popular that they both kept themselves in the public's awareness all these years, generating sequels and spin-offs...

One would not be remembered without the other.

Also - The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (which is a neat little book) is similar to The Godfather - a huge commercial hit. Now a movie is to be made. And Ron Howard is directing. Not the low budget cheapie that Paramount wanted for The Godfather, but it will be interesting to see how much success this book/movie combo generates.

However, I think The Godfather is unique, fellas. We'll never see anything like it again!

I, for one, can't stand it when a book is looked down upon because of the subject matter alone. Just because a book isn't 60 years old, and has a setting in urban crime (for example)doesn't devalue it as a book.

My all time favorite author is Elmore Leonard. He is bar none, the best in dialouge and character development. The way he crafts stories and plot points is beautiful. But, everytime I read him, a friend of mine will look down his nose at me and read his newest copy of the Glass Menagerie.

B.S. if you ask me

I have to disagree.

I don't think there are too many people reading the book today, although I may be wrong.

But I'm certain that without the films, the book would be largely forgotten today.

I'm with plawrence. The book was wildly popular in its day. But the film--especially Brando's performance--was what absolutely fixated millions of people on the GF story and on Mafia stuff in general.
Analogy: Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind" was a runaway best-seller in its day. But without the world-beating film, few people would have remembered the novel 30 or 40 years later.