Character Analysis
For the real deal on Al Capone, infamous criminal, check out the "Shout-Outs" section, as well as our "Brain Snacks" (nom nom nom). In the book, we never even meet the guy… and yet he's in the title. What gives?
Capone's kind of the main draw of Alcatraz—you might even say he puts the Al in Alcatraz. You know, if you were into things like that. As the warden says, Capone is "'The most powerful underworld figure in the country'" (6.44). Well then.
Capone's a celebrity, and one of the reasons that Moose isn't allowed to talk to people about where he lives. The warden tells Moose: "'you say his name and hordes of reporters come crawling out of the woodwork ready to write stories full of foolish lies, dangerous lies'" (6.43). Capone, then, without ever coming on the page, complicates our main man's life by adding another thing he's supposed to be secretive about.
It isn't all bad news when it comes to Capone, though, and he's such a celebrity that even from behind bars, he's able to pull some strings to get Natalie into the Esther P. Marinoff School. In doing so, this infamous thug turn into a kind little teddy bear. Not that we'd ever say it to Capone's face. Nope.