The narrative now turns to the history of Vito Corleone, formerly Vito Andolini. When Vito is 12 years old, his father is murdered after killing the local Mafia chief in Corleone, Sicily. Afterwards, the same men come looking for Vito, thinking that he might be old enough to want to avenge his father’s death. Vito is smuggled to America to escape the men, and when he arrives he changes his last name to Corleone as a tribute to his hometown. He lives with the Abbandando family in Hell’s Kitchen in New York City and works at the family grocery store. When Vito is 18, he marries a Sicilian girl Carmella, and two years later their first child, Santino, or Sonny, is born.

A man In the neighborhood, Fanucci, collects protection money from local businesses, bookmakers, and illegal operations. During World War I, Fanucci becomes part owner of the Abbandando’s grocery store. He brings his nephew into the store to work, and Vito Corleone is fired. By this time, Vito and Carmella have two children, Sonny and Fredo. Vito has a difficult time finding a job and blames Fanucci.

One night, a neighbor, Peter Clemenza, hands a package across the airshaft to Vito and asks him to hold it until he can pick it up.