Don Corleone's motto was "Every man has only one destiny." No matter how many times I read the novel; I am always amazed at Puzo's brilliance in weaving free will and destiny in the novel. Puzo is subtlety showing how these ideas are inter-connected, and they cannot be separated from each other. The Corleones are caught up in this whirlwind, and they cannot escape from it...Or can they? Despite the Corleones being a part of the La Costa Nostra; Puzo hints that the Corleones could have easily not be a part of this world. They could have easily been law-abiding citizens and lived normal lives. This is what Vito deep inside really wanted, but Puzo showed that both his own choices and circumstances made him into the Godfather just as his son Michael eventually became in the novel and films. Vito Corleone was born and grew up in a violent country Sicily, and his father was murdered, which lead Vito to come to the United States. However, he did not stop getting involved with the Mafia until Clemenza asked him to hide the guns from him in Little Italy. Now Vito could have just given him the guns, and he could have say no Clemenza about getting the carpet from his "friend." After they get the carpet, Vito could have stop right then and there, but he had to support his family, so he continue to steal in order to provide for them. The point of no return for Vito was murder of Fanucci. After he pulled the trigger, Vito was now on the road to fulfill his destiny as the Godfather. As for Vito's children, their destiny was connected to what their father did, but they still had a choice except for Sonny, who saw his father killing Fanucci. As for Fred, Vito saw that his second son could not make good choices for himself, so he decided what his son destiny would be. Connie is a matter no consequence for Vito because she would never be a part of the "Family Business." Lastly Michael, who made the choice of not wanting to be a part of the Family. Michael choose to defile his father's wishes by joining the army and serving his country. Michael wanted to be a mathematics professor, however, his father being the Godfather and being a part of the Mafia indirectly prevented Michael to have his own destiny away from his father. If Michael never went to hospital and stop his father assassination attempt or lost his temper and got hit by Captain McCluskey would he killed Sollozzo and McCluskey? Even after the shotting, Michael's technically still had a choice of not wanting to become his father and becoming a part of the Mafia if it was not for the death of his first wife in Sicily. It seemed in a sense that both Vito and Michael became the men mostly threw the part of outside forces then their own choices or not. This was Puzo at his best.