TheroleofwomeninVinceGilligansBreakingBad

AbelGordilloNavas
CrticaLiterariaAngloNorteamericana(Prof.PrietoPablos)
Grupo2

Introduction

Inthisessay,IwilltrytoanalyzetheroleofwomenintheTVseriesBreakingBad,createdby
VinceGilligan.

Feminismcanbedefinedastheadvocacyofwomensrightsonthegroundoftheequalityof
thesexes(OED).Feminismcannotbedefinedasasinglemovement,butasagroupof
diversemovementsthattookplaceatdifferenttimes,eventhoughtheysharedsomebasic
views.Asimportantauthors,wecanmentionMaryWollstonecraft(AVindicationoftheRights
ofWoman,1792),SimonedeBeauvoir(TheSecondSex,1949),BettyFriedan(TheFeminine
Mystique,1963)orKateMillett(SexualPolitics,1970).

BreakingBadisaTVseriescreatedbyVinceGilligan.TheprotagonistofthestoryisWalter
White,achemistryteacherwhodiscovershehaslungcancer.Inordertoaffordthepayments
forhistreatment,hestartsmanufacturingbluemethamphetaminewithhisformerstudent,
JessePinkman.

Thisessayisdividedinthreeparts.Thefirstoneistheintroductionandabriefglimpseonthe
theoreticalapproachIwillusetoanalyzetheTVseries.Onasecondpart,Iwillanalyze
femininecharactersintheseries,andIwilldevelop,mostofall,thefigureofSkylerWhite,the
protagonistswife.Finally,theconclusionwillenduptheessay,brieflysummarizingit.

Theoreticalapproach

Feminismcannotbeunderstoodasasinglemovement.Wecanclearlydifferentiatethree
mainphasesorwavesoffeminism.

AsMarthaRamptonexplains,

Thefirstwaveoffeminismtookplaceinthelate19thandearly20thcenturies,
emergingoutofanenvironmentofurbanindustrialismandliberal,socialistpolitics.
Thegoalofthiswavewastoopenupopportunitiesforwomen,withafocuson
suffrage.ThewaveformallybeganattheSenecaFallsConventionin1848,when300
menandwomenralliedtothecauseofequalityforwomen.(TheThreeWavesof
Feminism)


Asecondphasewouldcovertheperiodfromthe1960suptothe1990s,anditwashighly
theoretical,havingitspillarsinneoMarxismandPsychoanalysis.1 Italsobegantoassociate
thesubjugationofwomenwithbroadercritiquesofpatriarchy,capitalism,normative
heterosexuality,andthewoman'sroleaswifeandmother(MarthaRampton,TheThree
WavesofFeminism).

Thelastphasebeganinthemid1990s,influencedbyPostmodernismandPostcolonialism.It
attacksconceptssuchasuniversalwomanhood,body,genderandsexualityor
heteronormativity.2 MarthaRampton,regardingthirdwavefeminism,affirmsthat

Itstransversalpoliticsmeansthatdifferencessuchasthoseofethnicity,class,sexual
orientation,etc.,arecelebratedbutrecognizedasdynamic,situationalandprovisional.
Realityisconceivednotsomuchintermsoffixedstructuresandpowerrelations,but
intermsofperformancewithincontingencies.Thirdwavefeminismbreaksboundaries
(TheThreeWavesofFeminism)

FemininecharactersinBreakingBad

ThefirstrelevantfactthatwecouldnoticefromwatchingthisTVseriesisthelackoffeminine
characters.Therearedefinitelysomefemalecharacterspresentintheplot,buttheyarenot
ascompletelydefinedasmalecharacters,andsomeofthemcannotbeunderstoodwithout
beingrelatedtoamale(especiallyifthemalecharacteristheirhusband).

Throughouttheessay,Iwilltrytofocusoneachfemalecharacterindividually,andthen
explainsomeproblemsregardingthem.

SkylerWhite

SkylerWhiteisWalterWhiteswife.SheistheleadfemininecharacterintheTVseries,sowe
canseehowhercharacteristhemostcomplexone,eventhoughshedoesnotreachthe
complexityofothermalecharacters,likeherhusband(theprotagonistofthestory)oreven
someothercharacters(forexample,JessePinkmanorevenherbrotherinlaw,Hank
Schrader).

WecanreallyseeachangeinthefigureofSkyler.Atfirstshewasasubmissivewoman,but
shewillgainstrengthandindependencethroughoutthedevelopmentoftheplot,eventhough,
atsomemoments,shewillgobacktoherpassiverole.
1
2

AdaptedfromMarthaRampton(2014).TheThreeWavesofFeminism.
AdaptedfromMarthaRampton(2014).TheThreeWavesofFeminism.


InthefirstepisodewecanseehowSkylerisservingWaltersbirthdaybreakfast.Sheisa
housewife,shehasnoformalemploymentand,consequently,shedependsonherhusband
tomakealiving.InthePilot3 wealsodiscoverthatWalterhasinoperablelungcancer,buthe
doesnotsharethebadnewswithhiswifeyet.AttheendoftheepisodewecanseeSkyler
andWalterinthebed.Eventhoughshedoesnotresist,Waltersomehowforcesherto
maintainsexualrelations,aneventthatwillnotbeisolatedandwillberepeatedinthefuture
inamoreviolentway.AsKateMillettexplains:

Howevermuteditspresentappearancemaybe,sexualdominionobtains
neverthelessasperhapsthemostpervasiveideologyofourcultureandprovidesits
mostfundamentalconceptofpower(SexualPolitics,25)

WhenSkylerdiscoversaboutWaltersdisease,shepromisesshewillsupporthim
unconditionally.Theyvisitanoncologist,whoaffirmsWaltscancermightbetreatable.At
somepoint,Walterconsidersnottreatinghisdisease,asthedownsidesarereallynegative
(GrayMatter),eventhoughhewillfinallyaccepttheadvicesofhiswifeandwillundergoa
chemotherapytreatment.

Inthefirstepisodeofthesecondseasonoftheshow,weseehowWalteristurningmoreevil.
Skylerisinthekitchenandhesuddenlyapproachesher,withtheclearintentionofhaving
sex.Eventhoughsherefuses,hewilltrytoachievehisgoalnomatterwhat.Hefinallydid
stop,butitwasonlyafterSkylershoutedathimanddeniedwantingtohavesexwithhima
fewtimes.Hedidfinallynotrapeher,buthisintentionswerereal.Wecanrelatethistowhat
KateMillettsaid,eventhoughthismayseemnotsoextreme:

Thegreatmassofwomenthroughouthistoryhavebeenconfinedtotheculturallevel
ofanimallifeinprovidingthemalewithsexualoutletandexercisingtheanimal
functionsofreproductionandcareoftheyoung(SexualPolitics,119)

Duringthesecondseason,WalterandSkylerstarttodistance.Waltsdisappearancecreates
tensionbetweenthem,asSkylerthinkshemightbecheating.EventhoughWalttriesto
explainhedidnothaveanyotheraffair,Skylerdoesnotcompletelybelievehim,becausehe
didnotexplainwhatwasreallygoingon.WecanseehowSkylerissomehowstronger,
becauseshedecidestoconfronthishusbandandlookforexplanationsbut,onthecontrary,
shealsostartssmoking:assheisincapableofcopingwiththesituation,sherelieson
smokingasawaytoescapeandliberatetensions,eventhoughshewaspregnant.

AllthereferencesofthenamesoftheepisodeshavebeenextractedfromBreakingBadWiki.

Frustratedbythesituation,SkylerpartiallyacceptsTedBenekes(herboss)flirtings.
However,shewilllaterrealizethathewasintosomefraudulentactivities,soshewilldistance
fromhim.Atthesametime,shegainsthestrengthtoleavethehouse,alongsidehertwo
children.Atthismoment,Skylerdoesnotunderstandwhatisgoingonasshedoesnotknow
whatactivitiesherhusbandisinto.Sheisreallyafraidofthesituation:

Skyler:Whateveritis,Walt,Imafraidtoknow.(Season2,Episode13:ABQ)4

Thesituationworsensatthebeginningofthethirdseason,whenWalterfinallyconfesseshe
isadrugdealer.Skylertriestodivorcehim,astheirrelationshipiscrumblingdefinitely.She
evenhasanaffairwithherboss,TedBeneke.Theydistancemoreandmore,butSkyler
eventuallywouldsurrendertohishusband,forgetaboutthedivorceandevenhelphimwith
hisillegalbusiness.ItisherewhereweseeSkylerasapuppet,inherworstmoment.She
knowshishusbandisguilty,butshecannotescapefromit.Shestrappedandforcedto
collaboratewithhim.

Inseasonfour,weperceiveSkylerascompletelyimmersedinhernewlifeasacriminal
accomplice:shehelpsherhusbandwithhisillegalactivities,andshedoesnotturnhimup.
But,ontheinside,wecanperceivethatsheisreallyscaredandthatsheissubmittedto
Walter.InCornered,thesixthepisodeofthefourthseason,wewitnessoneofthecrucial
momentsofthewholeseries.SkylerisworriedofwhatcanhappentoWalterand,therefore,
toherandherchildren,ifWaltercontinueswithhisillegalactivities.Skyleraskshimifheisin
danger,towhathereplies:

Walter:No,youclearlydon'tknowwhoyou'retalkingto,soletmeclueyouin.Iam
notindanger,Skyler.Iamthedanger.Aguyopenshisdoorandgetsshot,andyou
thinkthatofme?No.Iamtheonewhoknocks!(Season4,Episode6:Cornered)

WalterstoneobviouslymakesSkylerrealizethatheisnotsafeanymore.Inamomentof
greatbravery,shedecidestoattackhimback,andshesays:

Skyler:Someonehastoprotectthisfamilyfromthemanthatprotectsthisfamily
(Season4,Episode6:Cornered).

AftertheincidentwithGusFring,Skylerrealizeswhathishusbandiscapableof:killinga
person.Sheisthenhorrifiedandscared,asshewillremainthroughoutthedevelopmentof
seasonfive.Eventhoughshedoesnotgetawayfromherhusband,shegetshersisterand
herbrotherinlawtotakecareofthechildren,sotheywouldbesafe.Skylerwilleventuallyget
abreakdown,thatshewillmanifestinwalkingamongtheswimmingpoolanddrowning
unhesitantly,intheepisodeFiftyOne.Inthissameepisode,Skylerconfessesthatshefeels
trapped,butalsothatheronlywayoutofallthatsituationwouldbetowait:
4

ThequotationshavebeenextractedfromtheAMCTVwebpageandfromWikiQuote.


Skyler:Ican'tgotothepolice,Ican'tstoplaunderingyourmoney,Ican'tkeepyouout
ofthishouse,Icantevenkeepyououtofmybed.AllIcandoiswait.That'sit,that's
theonlygoodoption.Holdon.Bidemytime.Andwait.
Walter:Waitforwhat?Whatareyouwaitingfor?
Skyler:Forthecancertocomeback.(Season5,Episode4:FiftyOne)

Asshestated,theonlyoptionwouldbetowait.Shepartiallyacceptsitandcontinueshelping
hishusband,andtoleratinghisbehaviour.ShealsohelpedWalterwithhisplanofhidingthe
truthtoherbrotherinlawandtotheDEA(DrugEnforcementAdministration),andwithtrying
toescapefromthemwhenthetruthisrevealed.ShewillevenencouragehimtokillJesse
Pinkman,Waltersassociate,asWalterslifewasindanger.Itseemsthattherewasno
escapeforherhowever,thereisaglimpseofSkylersawakeninginOzymandias.

Afterthemurderofhissoninlaw(eventhoughhewasnottheonewhoshotthegun),Skyler
confrontsWalter,andtheyevenfought:Skylertookaknifeandforcedhimtoleave,calling
thepoliceandrevealingtothepublictheirwholestory.

Inthelastscenesoftheseriesweseehowsheleavesnowalone,havingchangedhername
backtoLambert,hermaidenname(thatcouldindicateadistancingfromherhusband,asshe
triestoescapefromallthathadarelationwithhim).Shekeptthecustodyofherchildren,and
shegotanewjob.AsasignofgoodwillfromWalter,havinglosteverything,heleavessome
ofthemoneytoher,soshecouldaffordherfreedomfromtheDEAandmakeaproperliving
onceheisgone.

MarieSchrader

MarieSchraderisSkylerWhitessisterandHankSchraderswife.AsSkyler,sheisfaithfulto
herhusbandbut,onthecontrary,sheisnotsowelldisplayedasSkylerscharacteris.

MarieispresentedasHankswife,andshesupportshimnomatterwhat.Whenweseehe
doeseverythingforherhusbandisinthethirdseason,whereshehelpshimrecoverofhis
attacks(hewasshotintheleg).

TheonlymomentwhereweseeMarieactingonherowniswhenshefaceshersister,
regardingthediscoveryofWaltersstory.SheconfrontsSkylerasshedoesnotaccepther
views.Nevertheless,Mariestillfollowsthecriteriaimposedbyherhusband,andshedoesnot
confronthiminanyway.

LydiaRodarteQuayle

Lydiaisanexecutivewhogotintothemethbusiness.Eventhoughsheseemsstrongand
independent(shelivesalonewithherdaughter),Lydiaisalsocontrolledbymen:firstbyMike
Ehrmantraut,whowasherformerassociate,andthenbyWalterWhitehimself.

Shehasalotofpower,asshedirectshercompanyandpartiallycontrolsthebusinessof
methylamine,akeycomponentinWaltersmethamphetamine.Nevertheless,shewouldfall
intothehandsofmen,astherestofthefemalecharacters.Sheisaninterestingcharacter,
butherroleintheseriesisnotasimportantasitshouldhavebeen.

Minorfemalecharacters

Apartfromthethreemainfemalecharacters(SkylerWhite,MarieSchraderandLydia
RodarteQuayle),wefindsomeotherminorcharacters.

JaneMargolisandAndreaCantillobothappearasgirlfriendsofJessePinkman.Theyarenot
reallydeveloped,butbothshareacommontrait:theyarepresentedasrecoveringaddicts.In
thefigureofJessePinkmanweseehowhegetsrehabilitation,andthewholeprocessis
narrated.Onthecontrary,JaneandAndreadonotgetsomuchattention(thetopicispartially
developedinJanesstory,butalmostnothingatallinthefigureofAndrea).Theyalsoshared
acommondestiny:theywerebothkilledbymen(oneofthemdirectlytheotheronebyfailure
toprovideassistancebyWalter).

OnelastfemalecharacterwouldbeGretchenSchwartz.SheisportrayedasElliottSchwartzs
wife,afriendofWalterWhite.Shealsoappearsinsomeflashbacks,becauseshewas
WaltersgirlfriendwhentheywerestudyingatUniversity.

Conclusion

Aswehaveseen,thereisnotalotoffemalecharactersintheTVseriesBreakingBad.The
mainfemalecharacter,SkylerWhite,canbeseenasaninterestingone,withherfull
personalitydevelopedthroughouttheplot.Buttherestoffemalecharactersrelyontheir
husband,ontheirboyfriendor,definitely,onanothermalecharactertobepartiallydefined.

Notwithstandingthis,thereisanimportantfactregardingthisshow.Someoftheepisodes
havebeendirectedbywomen:MichelleMacLarendirectedelevenepisodes,andTriciaBrock
alsodirectedone.Someotherwritersandproducersarefemaleaswell(forexample,Moira
WalleyBeckett,whowrotenineepisodes).Eventhoughmalescontinueoutnumbering
womenonthesejobs,wecannottakeforgrantedtheroleofwomeninthecrewofBreaking
Bad.


WorksCited

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Wollstonecraft,Mary(1792).AVindicationoftheRightsofWoman.OxfordUniversity.

deBeauvoir,Simone(1949).TheSecondSex.Paris:EditionsGallimard.

Friedan,Betty(1963).TheFeminineMystique.UnitedStates:W.W.NortonandCo.

Millett,Kate(1970).SexualPolitics.NewYork:Doubleday.

MarthaRampton(2014).TheThreeWavesofFeminism.PacificUniversityOregon.
<http://www.pacificu.edu/aboutus/newsevents/threewavesfeminism>

BreakingBadWiki.Wikia.<http://breakingbad.wikia.com/wiki/>

BreakingBad.AMCTV.<http://www.amctv.com/shows/breakingbad/cast/skylerwhite>

BreakingBad.WikiQuote.<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Breaking_Bad>