The Complexity of Tony Soprano and Emotional Connection with Viewers
Nick Serrano
Rebecca Chawner
ENGL 1011-038
December 3, 2012
Cover Letter The small group conference didn’t really affect my revision process. The only criticism I took into consideration was from the teacher. Strengths in my draft are the usage of examples from the episodes of The Sopranos, the actual length of the summaries, which were short and concise, and the consistency of my thesis throughout the paper. Weaknesses in my draft might be the length of some dialogues used as examples. I made drastic changes to my thesis due to the feedback I received. I expanded on my analysis of the message the producers send and what Harold says in his article. Other things I changed were the organization of some main topics to help the flow of the paper and make it more logical for the reader. I also eliminated an analysis due to it being somewhat extraneous.
The Complexity of Tony Soprano and Emotional Connection with Viewers Mafia; a term most of us make synonymous with crime, murder, money, extortion, bodies in trunks and men with mozzarella on their breath. The hit HBO series The Sopranos encompasses most of these ideas in a more realistic fashion than the movies do. With six seasons comprising of over eighty-six hours of connecting with the cast and it’s boss of the family, Tony Soprano, there’s no question the audience is able to see multiple dimensions of the main characters. James Harold, a modern-day philosopher, proves this by saying “… The gangsters in The Sopranos, especially Tony, are portrayed in deeply psychological and often quite intimate ways” (Harold 300). Tony Soprano shows antagonist qualities by being frequently active in running one of the most powerful mob families in New Jersey; yet at the same time shows protagonist traits by supporting his family through his unlawful doings and making an effort to be a good father/husband. This makes him one of the most complex characters in television. Due to his complexity, we as an
Rebecca Chawner
ENGL 1011-038
December 3, 2012
Cover Letter The small group conference didn’t really affect my revision process. The only criticism I took into consideration was from the teacher. Strengths in my draft are the usage of examples from the episodes of The Sopranos, the actual length of the summaries, which were short and concise, and the consistency of my thesis throughout the paper. Weaknesses in my draft might be the length of some dialogues used as examples. I made drastic changes to my thesis due to the feedback I received. I expanded on my analysis of the message the producers send and what Harold says in his article. Other things I changed were the organization of some main topics to help the flow of the paper and make it more logical for the reader. I also eliminated an analysis due to it being somewhat extraneous.
The Complexity of Tony Soprano and Emotional Connection with Viewers Mafia; a term most of us make synonymous with crime, murder, money, extortion, bodies in trunks and men with mozzarella on their breath. The hit HBO series The Sopranos encompasses most of these ideas in a more realistic fashion than the movies do. With six seasons comprising of over eighty-six hours of connecting with the cast and it’s boss of the family, Tony Soprano, there’s no question the audience is able to see multiple dimensions of the main characters. James Harold, a modern-day philosopher, proves this by saying “… The gangsters in The Sopranos, especially Tony, are portrayed in deeply psychological and often quite intimate ways” (Harold 300). Tony Soprano shows antagonist qualities by being frequently active in running one of the most powerful mob families in New Jersey; yet at the same time shows protagonist traits by supporting his family through his unlawful doings and making an effort to be a good father/husband. This makes him one of the most complex characters in television. Due to his complexity, we as an
Cited: Harold, James. "A Moral Never-Never Land: Identifying with Tony Soprano." Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers. By Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford, 1997. 296-304. Print. Weiner, Matthew, and David Chase. "Kennedy and Heidi." The Sopranos. Dir. Alan Taylor. Prod. David Chase. HBO. Newark, New Jersey, 13 May 2007. Television. Winter, Terrence. "The Second Coming." The Sopranos. Dir. Tim Van Patten. HBO. Newark, New Jersey, 20 May 2007. Television. Winter, Terrence. "Walk Like a Man." The Sopranos. Dir. Terrence Winter. HBO. Newark, New Jersey, 6 May 2007. Television.