Abstrakt:
This thesis focuses on the depiction of the figure of the gangster in American literature, more specifically in American crime fiction. The first part of the thesis deals with the history and development of the genre and its sub-genres, the historical background, and Al Capone, one of the most prominent mob bosses of the Prohibition era. The second part of the thesis consists of analyses of the figure of the gangster in two books: The Godfather by Mario Puzo and Scarface by Armitage Trail. The work focuses on two depictions of the gangster: the gangster as a family type and the gangster as an anti-hero.