Tools of Characterization

Characterization in Goodfellas

Direct Characterization

Henry Hill is pretty chatty for a gangster. The strong, silent type? Not this guy. Through Henry's narration, we get a lot of direct characterization. Take our introduction to Jimmy, for example, where Henry tells us matter of factly that Jimmy loves to steal, and that he "was the kind of guy who rooted for the bad guys in the movies." We instantly get an understanding of Jimmy's character because Henry serves it right up via voice-over.

When it comes to characterizing the wiseguys as a whole, Henry and Karen collaborate, giving us a taste of the mob's mentality and motivations. "After a while, it got to be all normal," Karen says of the family's law-breaking line of work. "None of it seemed like crime. It was more like Henry was enterprising, and that he and the guys were making a few bucks hustling, while the other guys were sitting on their asses, waiting for handouts."

Adds Henry: "For us, to live any other way was nuts. To us, those goody-good people who worked s***ty jobs for bum paychecks and took the subway to work every day, worried about their bills, were dead. They were suckers." In their direct characterization, Goodfellas' tag-team narrators provide a wealth of insight into the film's not-so-good fellas and the reasons why they do the nasty things they do.

Actions

Breaking bottles over restaurant owners' heads. Shooting waiters in the foot. Murdering a dude in a bar. Tommy's violent actions tell you more about Tommy's character than anything that comes out of his foul mouth. They also suggest you should never take him to Applebee's.

Tommy is not the only character in Goodfellas characterized by what he does. They all are. The street-level mobsters like Henry and Jimmy show their loose morals through their muscle, hijacking trucks, robbing airplanes, and roughing dudes up (or worse). Their wives, meanwhile, show their true colors by being supporting players. Whether it's hiding Henry's gun in her mom's garage or smuggling contraband into jail, Karen's deeds demonstrate her loyalty to Henry and her acceptance of his lifestyle, the way a peacock shakes its flashy tail feathers.

And then, there's Paulie. Being the boss, he maintains his dominance through the delegation of tasks like, well, a boss. He's characterized by his inaction, like refusing to talk on the phone and shunning conferences. "Paulie may have moved slow," says Henry, "but it was only because Paulie didn't have to move for anybody." He's cool, calm, and collected in the way only a capo can be.

Occupation

When you're a gangster, there's no such thing as a 9-to-5 or leaving your work at the office. Being part of "the family" dictates a mobster's entire life: what to wear, what to drive, where to live—even who you can invite over for meatballs and gossip. "We always did everything together, and we always were in the same crowd," Karen explains. "Anniversaries, christenings. We only went to each other's houses … No outsiders, ever." The guys and gals in Goodfellas belong to their own club, and it's more exclusive than the Copacabana on a Saturday night. Every dude they have whacked, every pinkie ring they slip on, every decision they make is defined by their membership. They don't do a job; they are the job.