Cars Symbol in The Godfather

In The Godfather, cars are symbols of impending murder, as they play a role in some of the novel’s major mob “hits.” The most significant hit in the novel happens when Don Vito Corleone emerges from his office building, where Fredo is waiting with his Buick parked at the curb. As he stops to patronize a fruit stand, Sollozzo’s hitmen open fire on the Don, who collapses next to the car. Although the Don survives the hit, Sollozzo’s attack eventually leads to the murders of Paulie Gatto and Sonny. When Sonny learns that Paulie betrayed the Don to Sollozzo, he orders Gatto’s death. Clemenza concocts the plot to kill Paulie while he “rubbed and polished the metal of his Cadillac,” a scene that makes the car an inspiration for Clemenza’s murderous thoughts. Later, Clemenza and Lampone drive Paulie in another car to a deserted stretch of road. While still inside the car, Lampone shoots Paulie in the head, causing “the interior of the car” to reverberate “with the report of a gun.” After Carlo once again beats Connie, Sonny roars “out of the mall in his Buick” and takes the Jones Beach causeway. When he stops the car at the tollbooth, Don Barzini’s soldiers shoot him, causing his body to fall “out of the car,” which has now become his casket. Michael rides with Sollozzo and McCluskey in “a long black car” (an image that invokes a hearse) to Luna Azure restaurant, where he murders the two men with a pistol. Later, during Michael’s exile in Sicily, his new bride, Apollonia, dies when she attempts to drive a car rigged with a bomb meant to kill Michael. Cars are frequently harbingers of death in Puzo’s novel, and the often serve as surrogate coffins for several key characters.

Cars Symbol Timeline in The Godfather

The timeline below shows where the symbol Cars appears in The Godfather. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...private because “they have favors to ask.” As Don Corleone stands greeting guests, a black car parks outside of the mall. Sonny quickly realizes the car’s occupants are cops. He angrily... (full context)

Back in New York, Paulie Gatto and Pete Clemenza wait in their black car until Jerry Wagner and Kevin Moonan, the two men who beat Bonasera’s daughter, emerge from... (full context)

...City street until Sollozzo stops him in his tracks, and orders him into a nearby car. Meanwhile, Michael and Kay meet in a city hotel room, where they make love before... (full context)

...from his city office. He leaves the office and waits for the Don near his car outside of the building. After he walks out of the building, Don Corleone stops to... (full context)

...planning a date, while the radio news announces the discovery of Paulie’s body in the car. Hagen and Sonny discuss the potential deal to make with the Turk, who has ceased... (full context)

...hospital. He wants to pay his respects to the Don who prevented his deportation. A car drives slowly by, giving the impression that its driver recognizes Michael. Enzo is terrified but... (full context)

Michael suspects that Sollozzo was in the first car that drove by, and that McCluskey is on the Turk’s payroll. He concludes that McCluskey... (full context)

Michael waits outside of a restaurant on Broadway for Sollozzo’s car to arrive. When it does, Michael finds himself riding with the Turk, McCluskey, and the... (full context)

...from her home in small-town New Hampshire. She sees two burly men emerge from their car and knock at her door. When she answers, the men identify themselves as Detective John... (full context)

...the building’s outside stoop, where he brags about abusing Connie. Suddenly, Sonny pulls up his car and leaps from the driver’s seat. He grabs Carlo and beats him with his fists.... (full context)

...and fears that he may be targeted by Don Corleone’s enemies. Suddenly, he hears several cars approaching outside. Several men emerge from the cars and carry a body on a stretcher... (full context)

...stay put. “The fucking sonofabitch” he mutters as he leaves the house, gets into his car, and heads towards Connie’s apartment. One look at Sonny’s face lets Hagen know that “all... (full context)

...his pockets for money to pay the toll and approaches approach the gate, where another car is ahead of him. He hands the tolltaker a dollar bill and notices the car... (full context)

...and sees Fabrizzio in one of the garden chairs. Michael instructs him to get the car. In the kitchen, Filomena bids Michael goodbye, and Calo arrives to tell Michael that Apollonia... (full context)

Michael peers out of the kitchen to see Apollonia in the car. She is waving at him to stay where he is so she can drive to... (full context)

...face” before she uncontrollably jumps into his arms. Michael takes the crying Kay to his car and they drive off. “I couldn’t write you or anything,” Michael tells her. “You have... (full context)

Rocco Lampone drives his car to a small hotel off the Jones Beach Causeway where Barzini’s and Tattaglia’s assassins murdered... (full context)

...group of bodyguards surround the caporegime and tell him that Michael will take a different car to the meeting. Tessio immediately understands that he is a dead man. “Tell Mike it... (full context)

...exile him from the Family Business. Michael, Hagen, and Lampone then lead Carlo to a car parked outside the home. (full context)

Outside of the mall, Kay meets Mama Corleone, who is sitting in a car “dressed in her widow black.” Kay gets into the car, and Mam Corleone makes sure... (full context)

The Godfather

Mario Puzo

Cars Symbol Analysis

Cars Symbol Timeline in The Godfather