The American GangsterJanuary 17, 1899, from a daughter of an Italian-American family in Brooklyn, New York. Alfonso "Al" Capone may have been publicly covered up as a much-loved celebrity, but the true nature of the man to whom countless murders are attributed still remains a mystery and a topic of discussion today, more than sixty years after his death. Capone's supposed Robin Hood mentality was and still is often found at odds with his less moral actions, which earned him both a following and a dangerous amount of enemies. Capone wasn't just a ruthless criminal, at least that's not the only quality that defined him. The behind-the-scenes look at Capone's lifestyle and contrasting personality paints him in a slightly different light, making him a more sympathetic character. Perhaps from this information comes an idea of ​​the man we are talking about, but to truly understand the intricate life of Al Capone we must start from the beginning. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayAl Capone may have been born in the nineteenth century, but the following century, or more specifically the era, in which he grew up, can easily be held responsible for the characteristics and actions of the man nicknamed "Scarface." By the early 19th century, alcohol had been on the rise for over a century, triggering its daily consumption after the American Revolution, when Americans sought its “relaxing” qualities after a hard day's work. However, many people blamed alcohol for society's ills, particularly crime and murder, as a result a number of societies were organized as part of a new Temperance movement. The movement attempted to discourage people from getting drunk and eventually focused on the complete prohibition of alcohol consumption. Over time, the influence of the movement grew and in 1919 the 18th amendment or rather, “Prohibition” was passed, prohibiting the production, sale and transportation of alcohol. When loopholes emerged due to crazed alcohol users, the Volstead Act was passed to strengthen the law's power. However, people still wanted their alcohol and even the average citizen broke the law to get it. As a result, this period was responsible for the development of organized crime and with it a new type of gangster. These business-savvy gangsters, based mostly in New York and Chicago, have profited enormously from the incredibly high level of demand for alcohol and extremely minimal supply options. With the help of organized crime, every major activity in the 1920s was laced with immorality; young adults of the time lived and breathed “bad behavior.” The goal of those involved was simply to have fun, a feeling that sparked the popularity of music, dancing, gambling, drinking and lust. Extravagant parties, clubs, and bars served as outlets for which all of these activities could coexist, and whether it was alcohol, prostitutes, or a safe place to gamble, gangsters and those in organized crime were the purveyors. Capone grew up in an era where immigrants were blamed for high crime rates, economic instability, and unemployment. Then, the son of two Italian immigrants, Capone faced and witnessed a great deal of harassment towards people of his nationality. To make matters worse, Capone grew up in a rough, gang-populated neighborhood of Brooklyn that served as a ghetto for many immigrants. Consequentially,at the age of fourteen he formed the Navy Street Gang to stop his Irish neighbors' unfair treatment of Italian women and girls. At this point, Capone was already known for the tough, fighting qualities that he would carry with him into adulthood, but it was then that he also began to have disciplinary problems. Having been a good student through sixth grade, his change in behavior was surprising. However, Capone had reached an age where many children were dropping out of school to work and help support their families, so he interrupted his formal education for a less conventional one. As a teenager Capone joined a sub-gang of the infamous Five Points Gang in Manhattan. The Five Points gang was one of the first organized crime gangs, it was located in the area of ​​Manhattan occupied by today's Chinatown. The Five Points Area, although considered a dangerous destination, was quite popular for its many gambling dens, bars, and brothels. With the gang, Capone learned to use a knife and a gun, and by sixteen he was strong enough to knock anyone out with one punch. But, recklessly using his fighting skills would only lead to trouble, and when the gang's leaders took notice, he gained his first mentor, Frankie Yale. Yale had also been inducted into the Five Points Gang as a teenager and had since opened a bar and brothel in Coney Island known as the Harvard Inn. The inn was not a quiet place, the crowds were often full of drunks and gangsters and fights often led to murders. However, this is where Capone acquired the business side of his organized crime education. Yale hired Capone as a debt collector to secure payments to slackers and as a pimp to keep an eye on prostitutes1. Capone's excellent job performance quickly moved him up the ranks, and he soon became the Inn's primary bouncer and bartender. It was in this job position that he acquired his three scars on one side of his face and the nickname "Scarface" after being attacked with a bottle opener by a customer whose sister he had insulted. Capone worked for the Inn for two years, but, after Capone married, he took time away from organized crime, moving his family to Baltimore to avoid temptation. However, it wouldn't be long before Capone and organized crime found their way back. In November 1920 Capone's father died and he was forced to return to Brooklyn for the services. Capone's return to Brooklyn attracted the attention of the authorities who intended to harshly attack him for various criminal charges since his involvement in his gang. Lucky Luciano, another highly skilled and respected gangster and member of the Five Points Gang, noticed this and immediately warned Capone to leave town. As fate would have it, six months before the death of Capone's father, Big Jim Colosimo, who had built the Chicago criminal empire and founded its main gang, the Chicago Outfit, was killed. The Chicago Outfit was inherited by Johnny Torrio, a former member of the Five Points Gang and a close friend of Frankie Yale. Now, Torrio needed someone trusted to help him run his smuggling business, as well as his casinos, bars, and brothels. Aware of Capone's need to support his family and confident in his abilities, both Yale and Luciano recommended Capone to Torrio. Torrio offered Capone the job, which Capone gratefully accepted, marking his official re-entry into the world of organized crime. Capone had always been ready to resort to violence on thoughts when it came to solving problems; so, Torrio, a big believer in verbal problem solving, was just the personjust right to teach Capone the importance of valuing the brain over physical application. Surprisingly, Capone impressed him; in a very short time Capone was promoted to head bouncer and bartender at the Four Deuces, one of the most famous clubs in Torrio. Capone still practiced violence when Torrio's methods failed, but he respected his mentor's ideas and followed them as best he could. Once again, Torrio recognized Capone's value and made him a fourth partner and his second in command. Most importantly, however, Capone was finally included in Torrio's grand plan. Torrio is considered one of the smartest criminals in American history, a charge proven by a grand scheme of his that was unfortunately ahead of its time in Chicago. Torrio saw the benefit of replacing gang violence and competition with cooperation and sharing profits with rivals, politicians, law enforcement officers, and members of the judiciary2. So, in an effort to unite Chicago's various gangs, Torrio offered this idea and his protection in exchange for his leadership. During the early 1920s Torrio and his plan achieved much success, especially with the help of Capone. However, with the coming to power of a reformist mayor, the time of peace between the gangs ended1. Previous authorities had protected the gangs under Torrio's control in exchange for promised profit, but the new mayor refused to cooperate with smugglers or anyone involved in criminal activity. As a result, Torrio could no longer promise protection to rival gangs. Surprisingly, many gangs were happy with the plan as it was and chose to continue collaborating. However, there were still those who couldn't accept the role of anything less than leadership. Dion O'Banion's gang was by far the biggest obstacle to Torrio and Capone. O'Banion was done with the merger, and although he initially agreed to keep his business on Chicago's North Side, he quietly changed his mind when his closest friends, members of a gang rebelling against Torrio's plan, were killed by people who believed him to be hired by Capone. The O'Banions began hijacking Torrio liquor imported from Canada and invading Torrio areas outside Chicago. Despite dozens of meetings in which O'Banion agreed to respect Torrio's territory, O'Banion continued to act despite himself and violate the established terms. Capone was outraged by this, he pressured Torrio to use force, but, steadfast in his idea of ​​peaceful coexistence, Torrio refused to face reality, stubbornly trusting O'Banion's word. Shortly thereafter, O'Banion pretended to retire by offering Torrio all of his shares and ultimately extracting half a million dollars from him. At this point Capone convinced Torrio that O'Banion had to be eliminated, and although it took patience and strategy, they did so successfully. But O'Banion's death did not mean the end of his gang, his men ambushed Torrio at his home, leaving him in critical condition and very close to death. As a result, Torrio decided that Chicago was not ready for his type of business and was no longer the right place for him, so he turned the operation over to Capone. As stated by Luciano Lorizzo, in his biography of Capone, "Torrio's influence on Capone and the development of organized crime cannot be underestimated"1 but his departure marked the true beginning of Capone's control over organized crime. Although Torrio survived the O'Banion gang's attack, Capone was outraged and now, without Torrio's absence, he had no one to keep him from using more aggressive tactics to solve problems. He sought revenge through violent clashes, killing themost of the men he knew were behind Torrio's assault. But he began to attract public attention after he shot and killed a man who had roughed up one of his partners by calling him a "pimp." Capone was never convicted, but his alias "Al Brown" and his photo were now published for the world to see. From there, Capone's power and publicity soared, he gained control of organized crime in Chicago, and every American knew his name and the activities he was involved in. However, he was untouchable. No other gangster could have outsmarted him, and no authority figure could have incriminated him. Whether it was because of a compelling advantage he could offer or a threat he would have to face, Capone held power in every field. Capone's power produced great wealth, many enemies and, to his eventual discomfort, fame. Capone was America's most infamous criminal, he had a certain charm that drew people to him, but was unwelcome in their presence. Capone had never been convicted of the serious crimes for which most of the world believed him responsible, but he was branded anyway. While visiting Los Angeles with his family in December 1927, the press revealed his arrival and the police chief gave him twelve hours to pack his bags and leave. This shocked Capone: “I'm going back to Chicago… I have a right to be there… They can't throw me out… I've never done anything wrong. No one can say I ever did anything wrong... the only charge they can bring against me is disorderly conduct, and... there's no evidence to support that”3 and Capone was right, not he could be exiled based solely on his reputation. However, this was the treatment Capone received throughout his life. The public desired the resources provided to them by Capone and organized crime, but acted horrified by the actions gangsters had to take to provide those resources. It was easy for society to point the finger of disgust at gangsters, but in reality it was their lusts that were responsible for the immoral ways of organized crime. Capone knew he would not be awarded Man of the Year, but he served society's illegal cravings, provided financial support to politicians and authority figures, and donated money and resources to struggling citizens and families. Capone risked his life every day to maintain the resources to do these things, altruistic or not, and he deserved to live his life without the added limitations that came with the hypocritical disapproval of the people he cared for. However, Capone had to face the struggle of people who despised him, there were many willing to look the other way. Capone made a point of treating people, unless they stood in his way, with respect and generosity. In most of his photographs he smiles from ear to ear, a smile so genuine and kind that people found it impossible that he could be responsible for the immoral actions through which he made his name. Capone had the ability to make people "ignore his scandalous reputation", he could "evoke this suspension of disbelief...a skill normally inherent to a seasoned politician"4 and for this reason in many places he lived the life of a celebrity. Everywhere he went people were eager to shake his hand, or simply to be in his presence, overwhelmed by his charm and charisma. Capone deemed this intrigue and attraction his death. Despite his reputation, the law had failed to incarcerate Capone for any of the murders or crimes for which he was held responsible, but the government considered him a threat to society and did everything it could to lock him up. It was clear.