Walt is on a "ride-a-long" with his brother-in-law and sees a boy that used to be one of his students getting away from a meth drug bust. Walt being a chemistry teacher, and feeling completely desperate decides to talk to this boy about his line of work, asking how much money he makes, and the troubles he faces. Seeming like he's thought everything through, Walt, who is feeling extremely desperate, decides to partner with him to help make money for his family in case he dies out of no where from his cancer.
This show is essentially showing that the man is supposed to provide for his family. Yes, he is dying and feels like now it is more important than ever, but even before he finds out that he has cancer, the mom is staying at home, and he is the one working.
In todays society, at least with most families, it is the dad that provides the most, and makes the most. No matter what, the man of the house is there to give and give to their family. Even in the family that isn't the primary subject of the show, the husband is a DEA agent and makes the most money, while the wife is some type of nurse, and seems to be home more than she is at work.
While my personal life is the opposite, my mother has always been the one to make more money. My step dad stayed home with my brothers for the first few years, and I know that people have always thought our family life was strange. That is because of shows like this. We are fed with views of how things are supposed to be.. but at the end of the day, who is making these "views"?
I disagree with your assessment that Breaking Bad endorses a version of marriage where "a man is supposed to provide for his family." If anything, Breaking Bad is an indictment of this type of mentality. Walter White's stubborn insistence that he be the one who provides for his family has sent him down a dark path over the last 5 seasons. Walter was given multiple chances to provide for his family and stop cooking meth most notably when his former business partners, Gretchen and Elliot offered to pay his bills. Walt rejected their offer out of pride, and out of the misguided notion that he be the one who provides for his family at all costs. After seeing where Walt and his family are left at the end of the season, it would be difficult to argue that anyone on the writing staff believe that Walt or his family are better off because of his insistence that he be the one who supports them financially.
ReplyDelete