A dismal 1.4 million people tuned in to watch the pilot episode of Breaking Bad in January of 2008, but an astonishing 10.28 million viewers tuned in to watch the Breaking Bad finale (Kissell). This exponential increase in viewership can be attributed, partially, to the development of the characters in the show, especially Walter White. As fans of the show tune in each week to watch, they begin to see that Walter is not at all like the meek schoolteacher they initially thought he was. Truly, the story of Walter White is the story of change. Both loved and hated, Walter White went from pitiful sufferer, to ultimate villain. Walter began cooking meth as a means for extra income. After he was diagnosed with cancer, he realized that he needed another source of income to pay for his treatment and support his family. In two short years, Walter becomes the best meth cook in the nation, and arguably the world. To become so successful, Walter abandoned his morals by murdering, stealing, and lying his way to the top in what went from part-time job to lifetime commitment. While his reasons for entering the drug trade were heroic, Walter became blinded by greed and selfishness, and is undoubtedly a villain because of his egotistic pride, his selfishness, his greed, his ruthless ability to manipulate those around him, and his immoral choices. Ultimately, these qualities led him to his demise. "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain” (“Dark Knight Quotes”). This quote from The Dark Knight perfectly describes Walter’s career as a meth cook. Walter began cooking meth in order to provide for his family. However, Walter soon became obsessed with this career and decided... ... middle of paper ... ... Web. 06 Dec. 2013. "Dark Kight Quotes." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2008. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. "How Meth Destroys the Body." PBS.org. The Public Broadcasting Station, 17 May 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. Kissell, Rick. "‘Breaking Bad’ Finale Soars to Series-Best 10.3 Million Viewers." Variety.com. Variety, 30 Sept. 2013. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. Lee, Steven J., M.D. "Crystal Methamphetamine." Cyc-net.org. CYC-online, Apr. 2006. Web. 09 Dec. 2013. Prah, Pamela M. "Methamphetamine." CQ Researcher 15 July 2005: 589-612. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. "Quotes for Jesse Pinkman." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2008. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. "Quotes for Walter White." IMDb. IMDb.com, 2008. Web. 05 Dec. 2013. “Super Lab." Wikia.com. Breaking Bad Wiki, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2013. "Walt's Drug Empire." Wikia.com. Breaking Bad Wiki, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013. "Walter White." Wikia.com. Breaking Bad Wiki, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013.
What could make a person transform from a family-man-school-teacher to a weapon-wielding-meth-cook? The first season of the television series, Breaking Bad, shows Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher, beginning to adopt traits and perform actions that would be described by Mike Alsford as those of a super villain. Unlike many characters discussed in Alsford’s book, Heroes and Villains, Walter White seems to lack a definite arc of good slowly giving way to evil in his development. Precisely stated in an article by Sean T. Collins for Rolling Stone, "Walter White doesn't have a character arc. He has a character slope." The villain inside takes over quickly once awoken out of necessity, as if it had always been a part of him, resting in a state of hibernation until Walt’s life is drastically altered by the devastating news of his impending death from cancer.
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.
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
During the time I watch the video, what stood out the most about the lecture was the apprehension of the methamphetamine. First of all, I am so surprised about how much damage which the meth can hurt human beings. The meth is able to wreck human so horrible that almost nobody can realize or imagine what the addicts’ features look like before. King Corrections Officer reviewed the transformation of an addict’s feature between before and after he take the meth, and his description about this man changed into “helpless, pitiful” from “tough”. However, the worst section about meth is not its’ destructive po...
Breaking Bad is a show about Walter White, who is a middle-aged chemistry teacher that is a victim of the economy, cancer, and himself. This makes the audience feel a connection to the series, as it deals with ‘real-life’ problems. Walter barely makes enough money to cover his disabled son’s medical expenses and an incoming baby. After a ride-along with his DEA Agent brother, Hank, Walter sees a former student escaping from a meth-lab bust. Soon after that encounter, Walter approached the former student with an ultimatum, either Jesse (the student) cooks meth with Walter, or Walter will turn him into the DEA. Walter starts selling methamphetamine under the pseudonym Heisenberg. In order to provide for his family, he breaks moral and federal laws and justifies them all in the name of transcendence, or a higher calling as a father.
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
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
Maxwell, J.C. & Brecht, M. (2011). Methamphetamine: Here We Go Again?. Addictive Behaviors, 36, 1168-1173. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243901/
The Meth Project website was created to reduce the use of the drug methamphetamine through public service messages, public policy and community outreach. The program, while focused on teenagers, reaches out to all ages. The website is full of information such as statistical data, intimate stories and many community service projects. The Meth Project’s edgy advertising documents the downward spiral that is caused by the use of the drug. While some may find the Meth Project advertisements unpleasant, they portray the story of the incredible power of meth and its effects on the human body.
While there are a large variety of illegal drugs out on the streets currently, one of the most well-known is methamphetamine. Most people today know of the drug, but do not understand how it came into existence. Knowing the history is important, because it can help one to better grasp how it came to be and why so many people today use the drug. Methamphetamine is a stimulant and it is extremely addictive and very powerful. Unfortunately, there are many people in various countries throughout the world that are addicted to this highly harmful drug. It is awfully difficult to recover from a methamphetamine addiction, but it is not impossible if one has the right resources, help, and support group. Many individuals do not seek the help that they need, however, and the harmful addiction often times leads to an overdose, often resulting in death. In order to make a difference in our communities, or to simply be able to understand what an addict is going through, it is a very wise idea to know the effects and background of methamphetamine. Understanding the drug’s past and how it effects the individuals will help one to better understand what the user is going through.
“Meth, not even once” is a popular phrase that is associated with this drug. This drug has many known horrible effects associated with it, plus many effects more I am sure are going to be discovered over time. I am intending to cover the history, effects, the different categories of meth abuse, and the withdrawal effects of Methamphetamine in this paper, and what to do if you suspect someone you know is using meth.
Meth is all over where I live, but I have never had experience with it personally. While watching all the video clips, I now understand why so many people are addicted and what fuels their need for the drug. Unfortunately, meth grabs ahold of people and helps them ruin their lives. The lose jobs, become homeless, lose their families, get their children taken away, commit crimes, have run in with the cops, and even die. But that’s what we see on the outside, meth also ruins the users brain and thought process. How can something do so much damage to a person and their community?
Initially, Walter?s sole focus on his dreams lead to impaired judgment. One way Walter portrays his impaired judgment is when he makes assorted empty promises. In the Yo...
Watanabe-Galloway, S., Ryan, S., M.D., Hansen, K., M.P.H., Wullsiek B., B.A., Muli, V., M.P.A., & Malone, A.C. (2009). Effect of Methamphetamine abuse beyond individual users Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 4131, 241-8.Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/207970885?accountid=41057
...with Breaking Bad. Gilligan admitted while standing alongside his award-winning cast members at the 2013 Emmy Awards that, “You have hopes and dreams, but I never even thought this show would go on the air.” The renowned creator of this hit series brilliantly pieced together a dark world filled with cartel, crime, and crystal meth. Thanks to the flawless acting, the surreal mix of scientific fact paired with creative vision, and the immensely engaging characters, there is no doubt that Breaking Bad stands as the single dominating modern-day television series America has to offer.