Tony's Appraisal Theory of Emotions

Tony is constantly experiencing fear: fear that the FBI or law enforcement will uncover his heinous activities, fear of being “murked” by someone on the inside or outside, and fear of letting his families down. While all of these scenarios are constantly looming over his head, he cannot let that affect him day to day. Analyzing an episode in specific (Season 1, Episode 5 “College”), Tony is placed in a situation that could have consequences that lead to his anonymity being breached. 

Generally, Tony will face an event/situation, evaluate it, and have an immediate emotion, typical anger. Then, he will continue with his anger, and that emotion will cause him to carry out his actions. Since he is quick to anger, most of his actions tend to be heinous, but he justifies them as “protecting his virtues.” The Appraisal Theory explains that cognition comes before emotions. Specifically, an event will happen that will act as a stimulus, then a primary appraisal will occur, determining whether the event was good/bad or a benefit/threat. Afterwards, the appraisal will raise an emotion. Now, depending on the situation, there can be a secondary appraisal and tertiary (where the cycle repeats). 

While Tony is taking his daughter on a tour of colleges in the New England area, Tony sees former mobster, Fabian “Febby” Petrulio. He had been taken out of the game years ago (practically fallen off the grid) and was placed under FBI protection because he “flipped.” Febby was known for giving the Feds enough information to take down whole crime families. Tony needs to uphold omerta (protect the family at all costs), however he is on the trip with his teenaged daughter. His immediate reaction to seeing him for the first time at the gas station made him go into an anger spiral. He promptly got in his car to follow him, driving recklessly and putting him and his daughter in danger. 

Tony’s trigger/stimulus was seeing Febby. Once Tony made the connection of who Febby was to the situation in front of him, the primary appraisal is that Febby and this situation is threatening. Leading Tony to have the emotions of anger and fear. Tony is angry for what that man did to other mob members, angry that he was a sell-out, angry for not being able to uphold tradition. His anger drove him into a rage (literally and figuratively). Tony also faces fear: did Febby recognize him? Will Febby rat him out to the FBI? Will Febby get to Tony before Tony gets to him? While trying to protect his identity from his daughter, Tony has to decide the moral question of what to do. After Tony loses Febby’s vehicle, Tony goes through a secondary appraisal of emotions and evaluates what the right course of action is. His anger and paranoia only ramped up more and caused Tony to actively seek out Febby. Tony deems that the appropriate way to handle the situation is by killing Febby.