A STUDY ON MICRO-SIDE OF ANOMIE OF SALVATORE GUILIANO’S CRIME IN MARIO PUZO’S THE SICILIAN

Abstract

The Sicilian is a novel by Mario Puzo depicted from the social conditon of Sicily in 1943 until 1950. This novel tells about the main character, Salvatore Guiliano, who lives in a condition that is full of pressure. At that time, the social condition he lives in was full of poverty and rampant crime. Besides, he also wants to take revenge the people who have expropriated him. Therefore, this thesis is aimed to investigate the reasons behind Salvatore Guiliano’s crimes and the effective ways to cope his strains. By using the sociology of literature this thesis also uncovered the criticism of Mario Puzo toward the shadowy government and the Mafioso. The condition of Salvatore Guiliano in the novel is included in the strains theory. According to Robert Agnew When someone faces a condition that oppresses him to involve into crime he will be influenced by his inside and outside factors. These factors are included in micro-side of anomie known as strains. Strains happens because the right way does not work anymore, so the only way to achieve his goals is to involve crime. Thus, this theory is used to analyze the problems. Besides, this thesis also used the theory of sociology of literature to mediate the theory of anomie and the literary work. The method to use in this thesis is inductive method. Salvatore Guiliano’s crime is explored from the specific one to the general idea of micro-side of anomie. Based on the analysis, it proved that Salvatore Guliano’s crime is caused by his loss of vii positively valued stimuli and his failure to achieve positively valued stimuli. Kidnapping, slaying and robbery are his effective ways to cope his crime because the cost of these ways are seen lower. This research also reveals the critiques of Mario Puzo toward the shadowy government and the Mafioso through Salvatore Guiliano’s crime. These are the critique toward the conspiracy among the government, the Holy Church and the Mafioso, the critique toward Italian National Polices (carabinieri), and the critique toward the economic system of Sicily.