preview

Breaking Bad Research Paper

Good Essays

Korey Kendall
Dr. Kay
English Composition 1001
18 November 2014
Chill Out, It’s Just Meth
“It's [Breaking Bad] a form of pop-culture therapy that normalizes drug violence and helps us to accept what's transpiring on the streets of Mexico and every major North American city as a naturally occurring phenomena”
– Douglas Haddow
Methamphetamine, also known as “meth, ice, crank, glass, bump, tweak,” is an addictive and illicit drug that as of the last decade, has become a cornerstone in popular culture. The drug has made appearances in movies, music, novels, advertising, cyber culture, and most recently, television. The most popular source of methamphetamine information has come from hit-television drama Breaking Bad. The story takes place …show more content…

and future daughter, Holly. It also features Skylar’s sister Marie and husband Hank, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. Immediately into the show, Walter is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and falls into self-turmoil thinking about the hospital bills, how he can send his kids to college, and how can he can support his family when he’s gone. He found his solution to the problem on a ride-along with his brother-in-law Hank to bust a methamphetamine operation. From then on, Walter found a methamphetamine cooking partner in ex-student Jesse Pinkman. Walter finds his success in life to be producing a high-grade blue meth that becomes the trademark of his alias, “Heisenberg”. Breaking Bad depicts Walter’s transformation from a simple, family man into a non-moral, sociopathic, prideful meth kingpin that lost touch with …show more content…

Specifically, Gus Fring, the meth kingpin Walter killed on his rise to the top had a private investigator named Mike Ehrmantraut. Once Gus had been killed, Mike stuck along with Walter and Jesse, that is, until he was killed in episode 7 of season 5. The problem was, Mike was a good man and split his money into nine different savings for the people close to him. Once that gig was up, he tried to use his secret stash, only to encounter Walter, demanding the names of the nine people. A feud then starts between the two about their past decisions and mistakes which leads Walter to shoot him. It is there, both of them in silence, when Mike tells Walter he could have gotten them from someone they work with and Walter tries to apologize but it’s too late. Throughout the seasons, Walter began killing anyone that stood in the way of his reign as Heisenberg. He has become so prideful in his work that killing someone really does become second nature to him (Wondemaghen 1). The second example of his overwhelming pride is in episode 6 of season four when his wife Skylar doubts his physical integrity and states that he is a weak man. A pissed off Walter responds, “You clearly don't know who you're talking to, so let me clue you in. I am not in danger, Skyler. I am the danger. A guy opens his door and

Get Access