AMC’s new hit drama, Breaking Bad, may have one of the most dynamic characters ever to grace television and pervade popular culture. The character of Walter White, played by Golden Globe laureate Bryan Cranston, goes through drastic changes over the course of the series in response to certain events, which affect his personal life. By the end of the show, Walt has developed into a completely different person, one whom diverges from conventional morality and serves as his alter ego, “Heisenberg”. There is evidence throughout Breaking Bad that suggests Heisenberg is a nihilist, but there are also glimpses of Walt acting as a member of the human community with distinct values and a moral compass. The audience can clearly see that Walter White suffers from a dualistic persona, one in lack of a tangible identity.
Walt begins to search for his true identity when he is forced to reevaluate his life after receiving morbid news from his doctor. He breaks down when he learns that he has lung cancer and a diminishing life span, causing him to look introspectively into his soul and assess how he has lived up to that moment. Walt quickly realizes that the conventions and ethics construed by society, which he used to follow, are meaningless as he begins to develop his own subjective viewpoint on the difference between good and evil. Walter White’s metamorphosis is encapsulated in a scientific theory that he shares with his high school chemistry class in an early scene: "Technically, chemistry is the study of matter, but I prefer to see it as the study of change. It's growth, then decay, then transformation." This statement fittingly conveys the specific stages that Cranston’s character undergoes throughout the story, the first stage involving...
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...ot suffice to deem Walt as a member of society, are values nonetheless and if Heisenberg desires to follow the tenants of nihilism, these cannot exist.
Especially in Walt’s last few minutes, we witness the cloud of nihilism being lifted off of him as he acts selflessly to rescue Jessie. This sense of extreme loyalty leads me to believe that Walt could not live a life of nihilism in perpetuity and this final act of redemption may have been his way of trying to make up for some of the wrongs he committed in his life. Walt is wounded from the gunfire, Jessie makes it out alive, able to start a new life we hope, and his final expression appears to be one of subtle joy. As the camera pulls away from Walt’s dead body, we can see a shimmer of a smile on his face, maybe suggesting that he had finally crawled out of nihilism and found peace in doing what was morally right.
himself. Walt McCandless said, “How is it that a kid with so much compassion could cause his
Walter White( the main character in “Breaking Bad”) was just a guy like us, trying to get by and not break too many of the big rules. But then, he started breaking rules, and he became addicted to those feelings of overstepping and superiority — as addicted as the poor junkies who buy his super-pure meth. More than ever, he thinks he’s in control, but it’s his addiction to being better than everyone else that has always been in the driver’s
Walter has an interesting turn of events towards the end of the book. He is forced to abandon his quest to the North Pole, he is faced with the monster and must hear the monster's plans for self-destruction, he has to watch idly as his new friend, Victor, passes from this world. He has such noble dreams and aspirations, but they are all brought to a halt because of his chance meeting with Frankenstein. Or, was his expedition doom from the start because of the nature of wanting to do what no other man had done? Was it his ambition that led him to untimely failure? The evidence from the text proves that possibly he was never meant to surpass his peers and obtain the glory that he pursued.
At first, Walter starts as a man who does not have many traits and characteristics that a leader in the family should has. He feels frustrated of the fact that his mother can potentially support his sister, Beneatha, in her education career. Walter complains and feels depressed about his current life when he has many aspects that not many African men had during his time. Walter has a happy family, a loving wife, and an acceptable occupation. Unfortunately, Walter wants more in his life, and he feels hopeless and depressed when something does not go in his ways. Walter starts to change when he experiences and learns Willis’s betrayal, his father’s hard work, his son’s dream of becoming a bus driver, and his mother’s explanation about the Africans’ pride. Through many difficulties, Walter becomes the man of the family, and he learns the importance of accepting and living a happy life with his family. Like Walter, many African men had to overcome the challenges and obstacles. They had to face and endure through racism. These two ideas often led to many tragic and depressed incidents such as unequal opportunities, inequality treatments, segregation, and
In the beginning of the movie Walt is attending his wife Dorothy’s funeral. He finds himself bombarded by the young Father, Janovich, who informs Walt that he is there to fulfill Dorothy’s wish, which entails that her husband attend confession. Walt’s responds by insulting and mocking the Father by expressing, “I never really cared for church and I only went because of her.” Then he goes on to further insult him by saying, “I wouldn’t confess to a boy just out of his seminary.” This statement provides the viewer with labeling, there are also obvious cultural differences in this scene as well, which include, age, religion and identity that shadow both the Father and Walt’s realization of each other. Their cultures are very different which presents difficult conversation. Communication between people is the most effective when the other person that we are talking with, suit’s the identity we think is the most crucial at the moment. Distinctly Walt does not think that Fathe...
After his day job, White then leaves to go to his second job of working at a local car wash in which he is humiliated by his unappreciative students and the corrupt immigrant owner of the establishment that treats him unfairly; consequently, White ends up being late for his own surprise party, during which his brother-in-law, Hank Schrader, a DEA officer, shows off his gun, enjoying the attention of all the male guests and Walt Jr. as well. At one point, White is forcibly handed the gun in his hand and when he comments on how heavy it is, Hank's response echoes with the sentiment of hegemonic masculinity in saying, "that's why they hire men.” That same night, a succession of emasculating experiences continue in the bedroom with his wife, and it is followed the next day by his diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer. Instead of accepting the news and seeking sympathy or looking for support, White keeps his feelings bottled up; thereafter, after viewing his life up until that point, he realizes that he has many regrets with his life and he wishes to make sure that his family is taken care of long after he
Blue meth? This is what the TV series Breaking Bad is shaped around. First, I will be discussing why I chose Breaking Bad to analyze. Secondly, I will discuss the topic of communicating verbally with Walter and Jesse. Thirdly, I will see how they managed conflict and power. Fourthly, I will look at Walter White's relationship with his friends. Fifthly, I will see how listing actively played a role in Breaking Bad. Next, I will dissect Walter and Jesse's relationship in the workplace. Lastly, I will see what this means for communication as a whole.
The first reason I believe that Walter is the protagonist is because he isn’t a selfish man. What I mean by this is when he is talking about issues he tends to discuss family issues above his own personal things. Though at times in the play when he is drunk and loses his temper he does start speaking selfishly, I believe that his overall attitude in the play is for his family to move up the world. I believe that Walter’s son Travis is the main reason why he acts so unselfishly. He seems to want the best for this son and doesn’t want his son to feel that there isn’t anything he can’t have or do.
His position in life can be regarded as symbolic of every black male struggling to provide for his family by any means necessary. Although Walter has a job, it seems inadequate for his survival. As a result, he has become frustrated and lacks good judgement. Throughout this play, Walter searches for the key ingredient that will make his life blissful. His frustrations stem from him not being able to act as a man and provide for his family and grasp hold of his ideals to watch them manifest into a positive situation.
... therefore he is taught and did not inherit. Moore explores both of these issues in depth, and creates a third element. This third element is the most controversy. People are not born to be good or bad, nor are they raised to be good or bad. Psychologists would say they are either natured or nurtured to be good or bad. Rorschach is a good example of both of those. He is also a confusion in the argument because he develops himself into a super hero. His mother did not influence him in anyway, either through gene heritage or observational learning to become a super hero. Through creation of this alter ego Walter receives attention. When he is dressed up he is no longer vulnerable to his mother or society, now he is feared and respected. He can hide from his memories of abuse because his sole concentration is on being a super hero. Even though he can forget, the memories still exist and therefore effect the rest of his life. Moore adds the third element to a psychological argument that disrupts the whole concept of either beliefs. Rorschach is a developed image in Walter’s mind that allows him to act as what he sees as a psychologically sound human being, with an average up bringing.
... love and happiness of one’s family. Walter changes from being self-centered to self-less. He gives up his dream of having a liquor store when Willy Harris runs away with the money. Walter does that so the Younger family can fill their lives with joy and do not have to struggle anymore. This is the biggest sacrifice that Walter makes for the family. This theme also applies to everyday life. Many people sacrifice their wishes and dreams that they have, so they could help their family through tough times and always keep a smile on their faces. Love, sacrifice, and happiness is a part of everyday life.
Though many story arcs are used to work with each other, the one that sticks out is the telling of a tragic hero. Walter White is a modern day Hamlet, Oedipus, and Macbeth. And I think that is one of the reasons that I am attracted to this type of story. In the comparison to those characters, I can see the qualities that made Walter White who he is. From the traits of hubris and hamartia all the way down to catharsis, everything is there working together. As a filmmaker, it’s interesting to put it all into context and see that Breaking Bad is not something brand spanking new. It made me realized what made a story bad and not relatable. It’s no reason Breaking Bad is used a ton in storytelling classes and as a Bible for writers. It also leaves a lot of questions for the audience and how they choose to relate to Walter White. For me, I felt pity and sadness and would consider him a tragic hero. However, other people would disagree and say that his sidekick is the hero and Walter is a complete psycho. And no one would be wrong. That’s important in literature and movies. There should be no one right answer and linear path otherwise what are we going to talk
The premise that show runner Vince Gilligan pitched was simple, “We’re going to turn Mr. Chips into Scarface.” It was a bold claim at the time that most television executives dismissed as a bad idea. You would take the show’s main character and slowly but surely turn him into the antagonist. This was unlike most shows at the time who dealt with antiheroes, they had almost always padded them out with sympathetic qualities or redeeming actions throughout their respective seasons like Tony Soprano or Vic Mackey of The Shield. No show had ever fully committed to the idea that its lead character could truly be a villain. Yet Walter White’s transformation from a down on his luck, cancer ridden teacher to a depraved drug kingpin named Heisenberg has
All of that are just accomplishments to him. What really is amazing is how he started from scratch, he made friends in the production business and he worked his way to the top. He is a perfect example of the American dream. He is an American icon to be modeled after. Walt had many failures and he kept trying and trying till he prevailed. Once you see his accomplishments and how successful he was and then you read his biography, you will understand how he represents the American dream. There is nothing individualistic about him or his parks. Walt’s goal was to create a world where you can dream and think. You can have faith that one day your prince charming will come or that you may save the world but it is on a smaller scale than that, it is closer to reality. Your husband or wife is that prince or princess and you rescue them from a certain stage or a stagnant part in their life. If you’re a father or mother, you are your children’s superhero. That is the view that he is trying to prove to
The film “Gran Torino” shows us the growth of a person and the relationships and actions that led to this growth. Walt changes a lot – he overcomes his cultural differences with the Hmong family and his strong bond with them helps him find redemption. He dies satisfied with his life. For me the film gives a message that if a person is not at peace he or she could not achieve self-actualization. I think that we find ourselves through changes. The challenges and the constant struggle for what we need and what we have never had helps us improve. As we accept the challenges that life gives us and the people around us, we find peace with ourselves, just as Walt did.