Collogero's World

Calogero lives in what appears to be a neighborhood with strong Italian ties, probably from immigration by Italian immigrants in the early 1900's. After an initial stream of immigrants, families most likely followed suit over the next few decades, becoming a part of the cultural tradition of Calogero's neighborhood. The organized crime scene, headed up by Sonny in the movie, was once needed to hold the 'hood together, and probably still was doing so in the movie. Sonny and his men, while an alarming and oftentimes dangerous crowd to be involved in, use fear and illicit funds to improve the neighborhood. (to their advantages, albeit)

Then there are Sonny's stupid friends in the little "gang" of their own. However, this is an example of a social club with no positive impacts on the community. They just sit around all day, ditching school, smoking, drinking, hollah'rin at fine ladies on the street, and beating up black people. This group collided violently with Sonny's real gang when they were caught trying to sell guns out in public and driving Calogero to a firey death, and luckily, Sonny saved him from all sorts of horrible fates on different occasions.

Finally, we have the black neighborhood in 'Da Bronx, where Calogero's lovely lady Jane resides. Race relations during this time were HOT in the bad way, so even simply by walking through the black 'hood, Calogero's life was in danger. Back in the 60's, blacks and whites were still segregated, and most who live in a world like that begin to accept it as the fitting reality, which is why he was shunned callously from the scene of his friends' "accident." His love for Jane certainly, at the time, was a radical idea, and although his Italian family and friends did not support interracial relations, Sonny told Calogero to follow his heart, which today would be much better advice than what Calogero's rather racist (Going with the times, not necessarily a cold-blooded racist) father told him.

All of the groups come together with Calogero serving as the common link between each of them. Some conflicts are for better, others for worse, but the social interactions between them all make up the world that Calogero lives in.