Disclaimer: There are spoilers. Don’t read this if you are interested in watching Breaking Bad.  

Synopsis of Show “Breaking Bad”: 

Breaking Bad is a show where Walter White and Jesse Pinkman (his former student) decide to cook and distribute meth. Walter has 2 kids Walter Jr (AKA Junior or “Flynn”) and Holly along with his wife Skylar. We see him and his relationships with these people morph and change throughout the show, we see him as a person change. His street name is “Heisenberg” and acts as an alter ego that eventually takes over.  

Characters To Know:  

-Walter White (aka Heisenberg): Dad and chemistry teacher. He has cancer and is a meth cook.  

-Jesse Pinkman: Walter’s meth-business partner and former student.  

-Skylar White: Walter’s wife, eventually helps him launder money.  

-Walter Jr White (aka Flynn or Junior): Teenage son of Walter and Skylar White.  

-Holly White: Walter and Sklyar’s baby daughter who was born during the show.  

-Hank: Walt’s brother-in-law who is a DEA agent.  

-Marie: Hank’s wife, Walt’s sister-in-law.  

Walter White/‘Heisenberg’ Analysis   

He started cooking meth with an end goal in mind of $737,000 to leave his family after he dies. In the beginning of season 1 he did this all the while making it clear to Jesse that this was temporary. But as the season progressed and he killed someone we see a change. He starts to grow greedier as the business grows. He wants more. Walt grows hungry for more in life than being what everyone sees him as. He felt like he had lost control of what people thought of him, how he was treated, and how long he would live. But as the drug cook “Heisenberg” he got respect and was not seen as weak, people did not baby him, and he knew that even if he died people would remember the name “Heisenberg” and not “Walt.”  

Because of this Walt had severe anxiety over losing control. If he were not the best at what he does (which is meth cooking) people would not remember him. They would not remember him if he were in second place rather than first. This is shown when in Season 3 Episode 10 he chases a fly around the lab. The who episode was Walt doing dangerous things (such as swatting it with a broom on top of a ladder) to keep the ‘purity’ of the meth. Jesse tried to help him by trying to rationalize with him, but it was no use. The fly represents something he cannot micromanage. He micromanages everything at the expense of others and his family. In the series his anxiety over loss of control is what ‘controls’ him.  

The anxiety often turns into frustration to anger when he cannot get what he wants. Walt often takes it out on Jesse. He did this in Season 4 Episode 12 when he poisoned his girlfriend’s kid to gain control over Jesse again. This is not the first or last time he has done things like this to maintain power and/or gain more control, it is a reoccurring thing. This shows that the man he used to be is gone, and his ‘doing it for the family’ mentality is just a mask he hides behind that no longer applies to him. There is no need for him to almost kill a kid and hurt his friend other than his need to control things.  

In the finale of the show, we see a change. He is tired from chemo and is isolated because he tried to get a new identity. But he runs away from the safe house and meets up with his wife so he can give her the money he made. This is Walts last effort to do what he wanted to do in the beginning. He gives some money to his family, and he realizes all the things he has done hurt people. Walt saves Jesse from a basement he was trapped in and admits to everyone that he was the problem. This shows how he changed as a person. From lying and deceiving everyone to admitting he was the problem to himself and to everyone. He always cared about pepole but used them to his advantage at the same time.  

Symbols Throughout “Breaking Bad”:  

“Heisenberg”- The ‘evil’ side of Walt (also his street name). 

Flies- symbolically used to show Walter’s lack of control and need for perfection.  

Chemistry- Walt’s strength, something he can control.  

Money- This is used to symbolize Walt’s greed. He started selling meth because he wanted excitement in his life. He also did it to help the family make money, but in the final episode he admits he did it all for himself. 

Name Change- Walt Jr and Walt go by 2 names. Walt Jr – Flynn and Walt – Heisenberg. Each do not want to be connected to Walter White. Flynn does this as an act of defiance towards his father because he does not like how Walter was treating the family. Walter White goes by a different name because he does not like who he is (at the time of getting the nickname).  

Breakfast- Whether Walt eats breakfast with or without his family can symbolize how members of his family feel around him. The more he lies to them the less they are shown all having breakfast together and the more disconnected they feel with each other. In some of the key breakfast scenes happened on his birthdays. 

 In the first season on his 50th birthday they all had breakfast together and were happy. They were a normal family.  

On his 51st birthday in the fourth season Walt Jr (who did not know at the time of his father’s meth business) told Skylar to place the bacon in the shape of the 51. She did this reluctantly to make her son happy. Walter was happy to continue the tradition, but Skylar was eager for the breakfast to be over.  

In the final season Walters 52nd birthday breakfast is spent alone in a diner. He put the bacon in the shape of a 52 by himself. The waitress asked if he wanted free breakfast for his birthday if he shows his ID. He left her a tip for $100. Walt eating alone shows how he is completely alone. All the relationships he had before are gone and no one cares about him.