Predictions

During last class was a small discussion on what was believed to happen next in the film and at the end of the film using the occurrences seen so far and the Campbellian model of the Hero's Journey. Of course, there is something about actually watching the movie which allows one to better sense the direction and flow of the story, but this will be ignored for analytical reasons.


Following Joseph Campbell's model of the Hero's Journey, it is easily predictable that Michael is to further rise in significance as the story progresses. Evidence that Michael is the hero of The Godfather could be seen everywhere―including how he is considered a "hero" of the American Army and how Clemenza directly says he thinks of Michael as a hero. Campbell separates the Hero's Journey into five stages: departure, initiation, the road of trials, the innermost cave, and return and reintegration with society; Michael is most likely currently "Crossing [his] First Threshold", which is a part of the second stage of the Campbellian Hero's Journey―initiation. Michael has been given his first task of shooting Captain McCluskey and Sollozzo, and this will drag Michael further into the world of the mafia. It could be assumed that he is to later accomplish far more difficult tasks as he climbs to the top of the Corleone family.


Personally, I have a much more uncertain prediction as to how the story will be brought to an end. It may be considered the appearances of Don Barzini throughout the first few scenes of the film as awkward or unnatural, and this I have interpreted as him making an appearance later in the film as a more important character, as it is not made evident that he is of much importance as of now. Though with little proof, this subtle introduction to Don Barzini may be an implication by Francis Ford Coppola that he is the antagonist of the entire story. Recalling all major movies and novels, there is not a single which does not―regardless whether directly or indirectly―refer to the antagonist near the beginning of the story; an antagonist does not suddenly appear at the climax out of nothing, without any background. It is because he is the only character who has been introduced in the wedding scene yet has not reappeared to play a significant role that I predict Don Barzini is the hidden antagonist of the story.
There is no other obvious role remaining for him to play. If Don Barzini is not the mastermind who plotted the collapse of the Corleones, where does he fit in? What is Coppola's intention behind his appearance at the wedding? I hope to look for more hints during the movie to discover the true significance of Don Barzini.