Analysis of Sonny’s Awareness of Fredo's Betrayal in The Godfather

The question of whether Sonny was aware of Fredo's betrayal to the Barzini family, specifically to Michael Corleone, is a nuanced one that requires careful analysis of the events and characters in both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.

Sonor’s Awareness and Fredo’s Stupidity

For one to betray someone, there must be an intent to betray. Fredo, who was part of the Corleone family, believed he was helping to expedite a deal with no malicious intent to betray Michael Corleone. However, his actions demonstrated a significant lack of judgment and maturity, indicative of his naivety rather than malice.

Whilst Sonny was unaware of Fredo's betrayal, this is because he died before Michael assumed control of the family. Sonny's death occurred in the events portrayed in The Godfather, while Fredo's betrayal took place in The Godfather Part II, where Michael was already Don. Therefore, Sonny could not have had knowledge of Fredo's actions.

Fredo and Barzini

Fredo never betrayed anyone to the Barzini family. The scene in The Godfather Part II clearly shows that Fredo's actions in Las Vegas were taken without knowledge of or intent to harm the Corleone family, specifically Sonny.

However, Fredo did betray Michael to Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II. This betrayal had significant consequences and revealed Fredo's poor judgment and loyalty, particularly in a business context.

Interactions and Judgments

The flashback scene in The Godfather Part II before The Godfather offers further insight into Sonny’s perspective on Fredo. During Michael's announcement of his intention to join the Marines, Sonny got angry and ordered Fredo to leave, showing that Sonny had clear reservations about Fredo's reliability and judgment. Fredo's attempt to congratulate Michael was met with contempt by Sonny, who ordered Fredo to fetch him a drink, indicating that although he believed Fredo to be incompetent, he was cautious about his loyalty and judgment.

Given Sonny's prior experience, it is highly unlikely that he would have trusted Fredo for high-stakes decisions. Sonny's response to Fredo and his overall judgment of Fredo's character suggest that he viewed Fredo as someone whose main role in the family was to be in touch with the outside world, not to be involved in significant business decisions. For Sonny, Fredo's betrayal to Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II would have been a final confirmation of his poor judgment and lack of reliability.

Barzini Betrayal and Sonny's Situation

The betrayal in question happened after Sonny's death during the events of The Godfather Part II. On December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Sonny was unaware of Fredo's future actions. Therefore, any scenario that would place Sonny's awareness of Fredo's betrayal is not feasible due to the timeline and Sonny's death.

It is important to note that Sonny, being the current Don, would have likely known about any significant potential threats within the family, such as Fredo's involvement with Hyman Roth. Sonny, while perhaps not fully aware of Fredo's deeper betrayal, would have seen signs of Fredo's inadequacy and lack of reliability.

In conclusion, Sonny could not have been aware of Fredo's betrayal in the context of the Barzini family's actions, as this betrayal occurred in a timeline after Sonny's death. However, Sonny would have likely recognized Fredo's shortcomings, which contributed to his eventual role in betraying Michael and the family to Hyman Roth.

Keywords: betrayal, The Godfather, Sonny Corleone