Moreover, power and the structure of hierarchy in this show seems apparent in the marketing images of the show. On posters and video box sets Tony Soprano is always larger in scale than the other characters and is shown in the centre with the remaining of the cast to his left and right. This demonstrates two things, firstly, Tony Soprano is the central character and second he is the boss or head of both his biological family and business family. The packaging of the first season video collection demonstrates Tony’s immediate family on his right side while his business family or followers are to his left. This seems interesting, since it can be a biblical reference of those who sit on the right of the father will go to heaven and those who sit to his left will perish to hell. Or the image of Tony between the two families can represent his duality in life, as well as the tension he feels between the two. In other words, the image can represent the question of where Tony’s true loyalties lay: business or family.

       The Sopranos very often makes cultural references to the Italian heritage, many of which deal with the issue of family and how the Italian culture is very family oriented and thus, the family becomes a sacred institution. Tony, though the hatred for his mother runs very deeply, always tries his best to appease her with acquiescence simply because she is his mother, and although very cliché, she brought him into this world and therefore deserves to be respected in spite of her devilish actions. Furthermore, Tony and his wife Carmela portray in their characters common stereotypes of the second generation Italian family who must deal with modern times and issues. Italian culture is one that is based on tradition, in modern times these traditions must sometimes be compromised in order to progress along with society, especially when there are children who grow up as products of this society. In The Sopranos Carmela and Tony are challenged with many of the issues that children in this day and age have to contend with, but they always maintain their family values and togetherness, a benchmark in the Italian culture. Also, the children demonstrate an extension of the Soprano family, their son is named Anthony Jr., in many Italian families it is tradition to name the first boy after his father, and their daughter is named Meadow, which makes no cultural reference but demonstrates the generation that her parents belonged too. The name Meadow creates an imagery of flowers in a meadow, an imagery that is very peaceful and thus reminisces back to the era that her parents grew up in, the 60’s. This demonstrates the change in the modern Italian family, a trait that is apparent in not only second generation Italians but in all cultures.

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 Michael Mandarino