Corleones

Corleones refers to a prominent fictional crime family in Mario Puzo's novel *The Godfather* and Francis Ford Coppola's film adaptations. The family, based in New York City, is one of the five major Mafia families vying for power in the criminal underworld. The patriarch, Vito Corleone, is the titular Godfather, known for his wisdom, justice within his own system, and ruthless business dealings. His sons, Santino "Sonny," Fredo, and Michael, play central roles in the family's operations and subsequent conflicts.

The Corleone family's narrative arc follows their struggle to maintain dominance against rival families, the betrayal from within, and the eventual transition of power. Michael Corleone's transformation from a reluctant outsider to a cold and calculating Don is a central theme. The family's rise and fall illustrate the corrupting influence of power and the complex moral landscape of organized crime. Their operations traditionally involve gambling, bootlegging, and extortion, but evolve to include more legitimate businesses as a means of laundering money and solidifying their influence. The Corleones are depicted as operating with a code of honor, albeit a criminal one, which often clashes with the outside world.