Monday, May 12th, 2014--10 pm

Greetings...

If you attended class today...(ahem...there certainly were many missing...) you already know this.

Wednesday is our last class session of the semester.

Please bring the following to class on Wednesday:

1. Your grade worksheet, filled out.
2. All your graded work.
3. A calculator (most likely on your cell phone...)

During class you will be comparing your grade sheet to the grade sheet I have filled out for you.
You will also be calculating your course grade and recording it on both grade sheets. I, of course, will re-calculate before posting grades--but you may not leave class until you have signed my grade sheet and returned it to me. This indicates that you agree with my recorded grades for you.

ABOUT REVISIONS

If you plan to submit a revision, you must submit no later than Friday, May 23rd. 
Please follow the instructions on how to submit a revision.

I will not be on campus or hold my office hours after Wednesday of this week. 

This means that if you submit a revision after this Wednesday,  you must place it in my  dept. mailbox in Calaveras 105. THEN...you must email me and let me knowit is there.  THEN...you will receive an email from me letting you know I have your work. IF YOU DO NOT HEAR BACK FROM ME, THAT MEANS THE EMAIL NEVER ARRIVED.

Friday, May 9, 2014--5:15 pm

Greetings,
wishing you a very wonderful and safe weekend.
I have completed reading one of my 20 sections, and am just beginning a second.
I am sad to report, I have found two plagiarized essays! I truly hope this is just a fluke and there will not be any others!
I have never come across this in the Breaking Bad essay assignment.
Doesn't everyone know that I have read everything about the series that is on the Internet?!?
Sigh.
See you Monday!

Thursday, May 8th, 2014--7:30 pm

Greetings,

I cannot imagine that there is anyone who does NOT know there is no class tomorrow, but just in case, here is my reminder.

We will be meeting next week, our last week, on Monday and Wednesday only.
Wednesday will be our very last class session.
On Wednesday, please bring all your graded work and your grade sheet.

One more bit of news. I am sure you will all be busy studying for finals, but just in case you have nothing else to do on Monday night....

I am giving a poetry reading with three other Sacramento poets.
Monday, May 12th
7:30 pm
Sacramento Poetry Center
1719 - 25th Street (between Q and R streets)
Sacramento

Monday, May 5th, 2014--4:30 pm

Greetings,

Below you will find the handout we discussed in class today.

Also, a few reminders....

1. Remember to attach your Viewer's Journal to the back of your final draft of essay 3 before submitting on Wednesday.

2. There is no class this Friday.

Taking a Second Look at Scenes from Breaking Bad, Season 1

What could these observed behaviors possibly suggest to viewers

about the character, specifically?

WALTER WHITE, SR.

Walter asks the ambulance attendant to just drop him off at the corner.

At his 50^th birthday celebration, Walt does not react, verbally or otherwise, when Hank hands his Glock to him and then makes a crack, “It’s not gonna bite you, alright? Looks like Keith Richards with a glass of warm milk.”

In the early morning hours, on the day after Walt learns about his cancer, he sits outside by the empty pool. He takes match after match from a box, lights it, watches the flame for a few seconds, and then tosses the match into the pool.

When Jesse asks Walt why he is doing this (partnering up to cook meth), he initially says for the money, mimicking the reason Jesse gives. Then when Jesse pushes the issue, Walt tells him, “I’m awake. Buy the RV. We start tomorrow.”

At the beginning of the second episode, Walt is seen laying naked on the bathroom floor, semi passed out. He still has not told Skylar about the cancer. Skylar knocks on the door and asks if he is coming out. He replies that he will. When he gets to the breakfast table, it is obvious that he is very nervous because he does not want to explain why he was in the bathroom for so long. He finally cannot stand the silence and the looks from Skylar, so he goes into a long story about the senior class portraits and how some students are going to Glamour Shots for their photos. He goes into the details about cleavage and what will the small breasted girls do, etc.

Once Krazy Eight is secured with the bike lock, Walter panders to him and brings him food and necessities. He even cuts his sandwich in half because that is what Crazy Eight prefers. He breaks out the beer, settles in, and begins to ask Krazy Eight a series of questions about his upbringing, his family, the family business, etc.

After Walt promises Tuco that he and Jesse will deliver four pounds instead of two, they return to Jesse’s house, where Jesse tells Walter it will take 3 or 4 hundred boxes of sinus pills. Walt tells him they will produce their own ingredients. When Walt hands Jesse the shopping list, Jesse says, "I can't even pronounce half this shit. Count me out.”  But after Walt encourages him to believe in himself, Jesse takes on the mission.

Walt congratulates Jesse for scoring the supplies, though a key chemical is missing. Jesse has found some pros to steal it from a warehouse, but they want ten thousand dollars. Let's steal it ourselves, Walt suggests, quickly drafting a plan to blow off the warehouse's lock using thermite extracted from magnetic sketching toys.

At a meeting to update faculty and parents on the chem-lab thefts, Walt strokes Skyler's thigh under the table. She resists at first, but then revels in the erotic moment. Later in the parking lot, the two have sex in Walt's car. "Where did that come from?" she asks. "And why was it so damn good?" Walter tells her it is because it is illegal.

Walter Jr. sits peering into a microscope in his father's chemistry classroom. No students are present. After a long pause, Walt, who's grading papers, says, "I just think that things have a way of working themselves out." Walter Jr. doesn't reply.

MARIE

When Hank’s partner remarks, “Wow, it really does add 10 pounds,” as he watches Hank on the television news. Marie sarcastically remarks, “TEN pounds?!?”

While Skylar packs up her items she sold on eBay to mail them out, Marie asks about the amount of money Skylar earned on a particular mosaic bird. When Skyler tells her, “Fourteen dollars, plus shipping,” Marie scoffs, and says, “At this rate, in 50 or 60 years, you’ll be rich.”

In the same scene noted above, Marie asks Skyler about Walt…”What’s up with Walt?” She says he seems quieter and more distant. Skyler tells her that turning 50 is probably a big deal and an adjustment for Walter. Skyler then says to Marie, “I’m not looking forward to turning 40. You’re gonna be a complete basket case!” From Marie’s facial expression, it is clear Marie does not want to even think about ever turning 40. She quickly changes the subject.

After Skyler blurts out the news of Walt’s cancer at the backyard BBZ, the adults discuss Walt's situation. Skyler thinks that chemicals from long-ago lab work might have caused the cancer, but Marie steers the conversation on the next steps for Walt and talks about lining up "an oncology dream team."

SKYLAR

When the family takes Walt, Jr. shopping for new jeans, Skyler is very present, and is full of questions for Walt, Jr.:

How’s it coming in there?

Do you want me or your dad?

So how do those feel in the waist?

Are they too tight?

When Skyler is in the basement of the jewelry store, having been accused of stealing the tiara, she fakes labor pains in order to pull attention away from the situation and get free as quickly as possible.

When Skyler recounts the stolen-tiara incident and criticizes Marie for refusing to fess up, Walt says, "People sometimes do things for their families." Skyler responds by asking, “And what, that justifies stealing?” Walt counters with, “What would you do if it were me? Would you divorce me, would you turn me into the police?” Skyler’s final words are, “You don’t want to find out.”

"It's spread from the lung to the lymph nodes," the oncologist tells Skyler and Walt about the cancer. Skyler asks if it's curable; the oncologist prefers the word "treatable." Walt asks about side effects. Skyler takes notes as the doctor describes them. Walt zones out.

READ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Friday, May 2nd, 2014--3 pm

Greetings,

First, the most important news:

OUT OF CLASS ESSAY #3 IS DUE NEXT WEDNESDAY, MAY 7...NOT MONDAY.
(YOU'RE WELCOME! :)....)

Second, below you will find two of the three sample student essays we read and discussed in class today.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Good Enough

            Everyone wants to feel wanted or feel like they are worth something; constantly trying to live up to other people's expectations. Jesse Pinkman, in the television series Breaking Bad, just wants to fit in. He will go to any lengths to feel like he is part of something, even if it means abusing and distributing meth. Jesse is a follower, and gets caught up in the drug world after being rejected by his parents. He has tremendous potential but it will be up to him whether he uses his artistic ability for good or evil.

            The bar started off high with Jesse when it came to his parents. This is evident from how his parent's act with Jesse's younger brother Jake. Jesse's parents had different goals for him than what he wanted. This is what caused Jesse to rebel. Jesse has a passion for art, and he is really good at it. This is depicted beautifully in the scene where Jesse is going through his old trunk at the end of his bed. Jesse finds multiple school papers with low grades on them but also towards the bottom finds the talented drawings from when he was younger. Jesse even refers to cooking meth as art while talking to Walt in the RV.  Jesse's relationship with his parents is now distant. You can see this when instead of going to his front door he tries to sneak in the back when he goes to their house. Jesse’s little act of just setting the table for his families dinner, gives his parents a little bit of hope that Jesse might have changed. Jesse’s broken relationship with his parents is shown when they find out about the joint Jake hid next to Jesse’s bed. His parents wouldn’t listen to anything he was going to say and he knew that so he just stayed quiet and left again. Due to his broken relationship with his parents, Jesse must find other places to get affection.

            As much as Jesse tries to hide it, he sees Walt as a father figure. He is constantly seeking approval from Walt and confides in him. Jesse also tries to hide things from Walt that he knows Walt wouldn't approve of. This is illustrated in the scene where Jesse is smoking meth in his bathroom and locks the door and tells Walt to give him some privacy. When Walt and Jesse are in the desert cooking meth and Walt is sitting in the chair with his shirt open, Jesse notices the patch on Walt’s chest from where he got radiation. He even recommends Walt putting an ice pack on his head during chemotherapy because it helps with the hair loss.  This scene portrays Jesse's affection for Walt. Jesse tries impressing Walter every chance he gets. The fact that Jesse tries to get a honest job to look good for Walt is great support for this claim.  Another  great example of this is when Jesse finds an "in" with Tuco and tries to make a deal with him and ends up in the hospital after being beat. You see how strong of relationship Jesse and Walt have when Walt goes back to Tuco after finding out what happened to Jesse, and gets revenge. Walt and Jesse may have started out rocky, but the dedication both of them have for their work, allows them to become extremely close. It seems that Jesse looks to Walt as a father figure, but the feeling is mutual and Walt looks at him as a son.

            Jesses relationship with his parents is very distant. Not having a relationship with his parents, forces Jesse to find attention wherever he can get it. Jesse will go to any lengths for friends and lovers, even if it means buying them. This is depicted in the scenes where Jesse pays a prostitute to sleep with him and when Jesse agrees to smoke meth, against his will, so his friends will stay at his house. It is very evident that Jesse cannot handle being alone, and goes the wrong way about dealing with his loneliness. Jesse seems to want to smoke meth every time he is alone at home because he starts thinking about the things that he has been doing and it gets to him. Its ironic that after he smokes the meth he starts having illusions that people are coming to his house and trying to get him. This is what makes him run away to his parents in the first place. It’s obvious that Jesse has some anxiety issues, which doesn’t help when it comes to him being alone.

            On the surface, Jesse tries to act unafraid and tough, but deep down Jesse is really scared. Jesse is all bark but no bite. This is illustrated when he goes to crazy eights house the first time to sell the meth that him and Walt cooked for the first time. He puts up a front and acts like he’s not afraid of the bulldog. Another perfect example of this is when Jesse goes to talk to Tuco and Tuco doesn't agree to pay up front. It is apparent that Jesse is skeptical about standing up for himself, but he grabs the bag of meth and tries to run away. The famous "coin flip" scene gives a great example of Jesse's true self. He comes off as someone who would be down to kill if he had to, especially after being almost killed by the same person. Before Walt suggests flipping the coin Jesse chooses to dispose of the already dead carcass instead of having to kill crazy eight.

Jesse’s childish ways allows for him to be easily manipulated. He’s always claiming that he’s the man. He even referred to himself as “capn cook.” This front that he puts up doesn’t change the fact that he is always working for someone.  Jesse always has someone he has to report to. In a way, Walt even manipulates Jesse. Jesse does anything Walt asks him to do. When they need to dispose of the body and they need certain supplies, Jesse is always the one that has to go out and get them. And as stated above, Jesse reports to Walt for everything. The scene where Walt needs Jesse to get a list of supplies for them to make meth without psuedo portrays this well. Walt even tells Jesse that the supplies would be difficult to obtain and says “figure out a way to get them, we need them.” Another illustration is of this is when Walt complains to Jesse about the amount of meth he sold because it wasn’t enough. Jesse was fine with getting by with the bare minimum, but Walter, having to pay a lot for his chemo, gets impatient.

            Jesse is a lost adolescent with a lot of potential. Having been pressured by his parents to be someone he wasn't or to do something he didn’t want to do caused him to rebel and to be thrown into the life of a drug dealer. It is here where he tries to do what he does best, create art. In his search for being accepted he makes choices that’s digs him deeper down in a hole called the drug world. With the proper rehabilitation and motivation to be something better, Jesse has a really good chance of becoming a decent member of society. Parents, instead of choosing their children’s lives for them, should allow their kids to choose what they want to do and be who they want to be. Being overbearing can cause a child to go down a completely wrong path in life and destroy their future.

********************************

Cloudy, With a Chance of Revelation

            Breaking Bad is a highly rated television drama about drugs, violence, family values and justice. While incredibly entertaining at face value, the underlying themes and motifs are what differentiate it from other primetime programming. The depth of the characters is so realistic that the viewer begins to know each of them personally and can start to get into their heads. Jesse Pinkman, viewed by most as a low life criminal, is a very intricate and complicated person. Early on it seems that all he cares about is just getting by, making enough money to survive. He appears to have no ambitions. But as the show develops, it becomes clear that is not the case. Damaged by past events, Jesse has taken to a life of crime to get by, but deep down he is a good person who is just lonely and is desperately trying to find himself.

            Jesse does not fit into the criminal world, but he tries very hard to make people think that he does. The charade that he pulls off as “Cap’n Cook” is not very convincing. A real criminal would not identify himself on his license plate. This is either an example that he is an idiot, or that he is not very committed to his life of crime. He adds chili powder to his methamphetamine, saying nonsense like “chili p is my signature.” The fact that he thinks that people would want spicy ingredients in something that they are going to smoke or snort is a clear indication that he has no idea what he is doing. His answering machine makes it very clear that he is trying very hard to fit in, which is further developed when his “friends” are over at his house and he gives them drugs so that they will not leave. Their actions make it very clear that his position in the drug world is not as good as he tries to make it seem. Another example of lack of criminal knowledge is the barrel debacle. Instead of rolling or using a handcart, Jesse and Walter carry the barrel out of the warehouse. The DEA agents reviewing this tape openly laugh at his lack of criminal skill. This scene is important because it demonstrates that Jesse is just as bad at being a criminal as Walter.

            Jesse has had a very hard life. On the surface, he grew up in a middle class family, went to a nice school and should have been on a much better course in life. But when certain events are taken into consideration it is clear that his life was not so cut and dry. His aunt, the relative that he was the closest to, was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately died. Jesse was there for the whole thing, caring for her as her condition deteriorated, and this was a devastating blow to him. Less loving than his aunt, his oh-so-perfect parents are incredibly overbearing, and likely drove him away instead of helping him succeed. It is clear that they impossible standards for their children as seen when Jesse interacts with his younger brother. When he looks through the box of items from his childhood, the gleam in his eye betrays his true passion, art. However, his parents obviously did not support his dreams as his art is all hidden in a box. Later, when his girlfriend dies in season two it is clear that the pain that he is feeling is very real. It is the pain felt by a damaged person who has found peace in life, only to have it shattered. Even worse he feels responsible for her death, although it was only indirectly caused by him.

            Even though Jesse routinely performs a wide range of criminal acts he is not a bad person. He has a good heart which is conveyed in scene with Walter in the desert. Walter reveals his[CF1]  cancer and Jesse gives him advice about treatment based off of his experience with his aunt. The dialogue promotes the idea that under the surface, Jesse is capable of compassion. Jesse also has a staunch aversion to murder. The coin flip scene exposes his feelings when he repeatedly calls on the sanctity of the coin flip which got him out of doing the deed. When Walter tells him to get the money and drugs back from Spooge in season two, Jesse is very uncomfortable about having to confront the man because he believes that Walter wants him killed. Later, in seasons two and three, Jesse demonstrates compassion for children and a need to protect them. His interactions with Tomas, Spooge’s child and Andrea’s son all paint a clear love of children. These actions all point to the moral conflict presented to Jesse, the struggle of being a criminal with a good heart.

            Jesse is undeniably lonely. His constant drug use has left him estranged from his righteous parents and his overprotected younger brother. His favorite aunt, who took him in when no else would, died from lung cancer. His old friends have all moved on in their lives as shown when Jesse is kicked out of his aunt’s house. He contacts friends in an attempt to find a place to stay, finally finding one who will take him in. However, the friend’s new wife is very disapproving of Jesse and ultimately kicks him out. At this moment Jesse knows how alone he truly is. He knows that his only other friends hang out with him because he has access to drugs. The only two people he truly has in his life are Wendy, a drugged out disgusting prostitute, and Walt who he doesn’t recognize is there for him. As absolute proof of his loneliness, when he finally finds a girlfriend he is willing to uproot his entire life and move to New Zealand with her. Sadly, this is not to be and her death throws him right back into his lonely pit of despair.

            Jesse is confused about who he really is and is trying to find himself. It is clear that his heart is not really in the criminal life he leads and that it is just the thing that he knows. When he becomes paranoid from taking meth, he stumbles to the only place that he has ever felt that he was a part of, his childhood home. While there, the viewer gets a glimpse into his aspirations. His pride in his younger brother’s accomplishments, his box of drawings, and the graded exams all show that he unhappy with his current path. After leaving he makes an attempt at finding a real job, something that his parents will be proud of. Only after he discovers that he will have to start all over again does he go back to crime. The most revealing scene takes place in season three, while he is in the hospital after being beaten by Hank. He refuses to work will Walt and Gus, and is finally swayed when Walt admits that Jesse’s meth is as good as his. This scene reveals that Jesse is seeking acknowledgment in his life, however it can be acquired. He is still very immature and has not yet become sure enough of himself to grow out of it. He refers to Walter as “Mr. White,” as he did in high school. He is often snarky and sarcastic in serious situations. He acts out when he needs approval or doesn’t like something. These are the actions of a teenager who has not yet accepted life or figured out their part in it. These are the actions of somebody who is actively trying to find themselves, without even realizing it.

            Jesse Pinkman wears crime like a mask to cover up his helplessness. Underneath the childlike actions and blatant disregard for the law is a vulnerable, lonely person who doesn’t know what to do. He puts on a show of strength and apathy towards crime, but he cannot hide the fact that he is a good person and that he does not have it in him to be a criminal. He is searching for his true self and in that process is growing up. With the aid of Walt, who surreptitiously acts as a father figure, he has a real chance of living up to his fullest potential.

---

Thursday, May 1st, 2014--8 pm

Greetings,
I am posting a sample student essay from the essay 3 prompt below. I will be distributing and discussing other samples in class tomorrow. However, this essay is quite long (nearly nine full pages), so you can read and study it here on the blog. It is quite an unusual approach to the essay, and a very compelling and well written one. (I have not included the Works Cited page.)

Seven and Seven

            Life has been hard on Walt, expressed by the deep scars on his face that convey a losing battle with time and with staying true to himself.  Walter White, from the television series, Breaking Bad, has never been able to fully be himself, and is too busy being the man others want him to be.  It is not until he is diagnosed with cancer that his true form emerges from the shadows: Heisenberg.  The beautiful thing about Walter is that from the outside, it is easy to apply society’s morals to him, but from his perspective, he is liberated from being caged within himself, just as he tells Jesse when asked his motivation to cook meth, “I am free.”   Cancer is the best thing to happen to Mr. White.  It is no secret that Walter lives a double life, but it is deeper than that.  Walter White is the epitome of a walking dichotomy: good and bad, right and wrong, Walter and Heisenberg. His ability to comfort and care does not make him the protagonist; his rash actions and pride do not force him to be the antagonist. Walter White is very much both virtuous and sinful, and everything in between. 

                Defining Walter as the protagonist is natural. He is the underdog in a vicious world, just trying to make ends meet. Working two jobs, as a high school chemistry teacher and a clerk at a local carwash, he tries to provide for his growing family.  He continually allows people to step all over him; he even wipes down cars for Bogdan when he is only supposed to be responsible for the cash register.  We all see ourselves in this person; we all want to do better and tell those who step on us, “Fuck you! …and your eyebrows.” 

            Defining Heisenberg as the antagonist is also natural. He is a violent, manipulative man, willing to do anything to get his way. Going to Jesse and threatening him with the authorities if he refuses to cook with him, Heisenberg shows his manipulation at a very early stage in the show.  

            Though as a collective, Walt and Heisenberg are the black and white area of good and evil, there is a lot of grey area.  To fill the void between these two polarized characteristics, the definition of good and evil must be expanded.  While making a list to weigh out the repercussions of killing or letting Krazy-8 go, Walt writes down Judeo-Christian principles as a reason to let him live.  Looking further into Christian principles of right and wrong—the seven deadly sins and the seven cardinal virtues make an appearance.  Walter fits this criterion.  He is no longer white or black, but a full greyscale spectrum ranging from Omnibenevolence to Omnimalevolence.             

            The seven deadly sins are a widely popular known set of ethical vices.  As Walter has Heisenberg, each deadly sin has an opposite: the seven cardinal virtues.  Walter demonstrates examples of each of the seven virtues and seven sins: chastity and lust; temperance and gluttony; charity and greed;  diligence and sloth; patience and wrath; kindness and envy, and lastly, humility and pride. Having any of the virtues is ground to making a good protagonist. Likewise, committing any of the seven sins is a compelling argument for being an antagonist. Together, Walter White and Heisenberg commit all fourteen.

            Chastity and Lust.

            Chastity, or knowledge, is the virtue opposite of the sin, lust.  By being extremely intelligent and having the motivation to always think ahead, Walt primarily expresses this virtue in the form of knowledge and expertise.  From not wanting to dispose of the bodies in the desert to prevent getting caught, to noticing that pseudoephedrine is becoming scarce and wanting to use methylamine instead, Walter is always planning ahead.  His knowledge extends to wisdom when he analyzes his surroundings for clues and definite answers.  Knowing that a broken plate could be a weapon, Walt has the intuition to check the garbage to verify Krazy-8’s intent.  The most profound example of his knowledge is found within the premise of the show itself.  Breaking Bad never presents viewers with Walt learning to cook methamphetamine.  Walt’s wisdom is unveiled so adamantly that viewers subconsciously accept the fact he already knows how.

            Lust, or desire, is a quality of Heisenberg. After having sex in their car in the school parking lot, Skyler asks him, “Why was it so damn good?” Motivated by his desire to show that breaking the law is not always bad, Heisenberg responds, “Because it’s illegal.”  His lustful attitude gains momentum by getting a taste of dominance when taking the leadership role over Jesse.  He tries to apply this new mindset to Skyler during their bed time adventure:  “Walt?  Is that you?” The more time passes, the more his desire for dominance continues as with his lust for money. In the first season, he expresses interest in the amount of cash seized during one of Hank’s drug busts.  By season five, Jesse asks Walt if he is in the meth business or the money business.  Iconically, Heisenberg responds, “Neither, I’m in the Empire Business.”

Temperance and Gluttony.

            Temperance is often disguised as self-control or honor.  Walt’s personality during time with his family is the definition of temperance.  He has denied himself of his true desires for most of his life.  The fact that he is docile toward Skyler as she takes a dominant role demonstrates an extreme amount of self-control.   Though viewers only observe Bogdan asking Walt to stay late once, it is implied it happens almost regularly.  Walt even stays quiet when humiliated twice by the same student, Chad.  The first time is when Chad drags his chair instead of picking it up after Mr. White asks him to move back to his seat.  The second time is when Chad and his girlfriend are laughing at Mr. White while he shines the tires on Chad’s Corvette.  Even when he has nothing to gain, Walter expresses this type of control.  During the poker game, when only fake money is up for bidding, Walt bluffs and doesn’t back down to the strong presence which is Hank. 

            Gluttony, or over consumption, is the opposite of temperance.  Heisenberg commits this sin almost any time he is backed into a corner. When confronted by Jesse about not having the full amount of money for the RV, Walt tells Jesse, “You’re a drug dealer, figure it out.” He didn’t have enough but wouldn’t take no for an answer.  When not providing Tuco with enough meth, Heisenberg offers Tuco four pounds rather than two. Heisenberg decides to steal the 50 gallon barrel of methylamine when no gallon jugs were available, again taking more than his fair share of ingredients. As children’s author Laura Numeroff writes, “If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk.”

Charity and Greed.

            Of the many elements of charity, sacrifice, is an element of Walt’s that contrasts his overabundance of greed.  To think one man would do and give up so much for the betterment of his family is noteworthy.  The idea of him putting everything he has on the line to cook meth is an extreme sacrifice. He even takes the life of enemies into consideration.  He is caring enough to, not only feed the man he is about to kill, but notice that Krazy-8 dislikes the crust on his sandwich and starts cutting it off for him. Even in the face of danger Walt is willing to put his life on the line to help another.  Asking Tuco for an extra 15 grand on Jesse’s behalf is absolutely insane; the best part, Walt actually gives the money to Jesse. 

            It is no secret that Heisenberg is extremely greedy—thus, committing the sin of greed over and over.  Adding to the fact that he continually wants to grow on a bigger scale, he is greed defined: first starting out cooking and slinging with Jesse alone to taking out a cartel distributer, Tuco, and beyond.  He himself doesn’t even know when to stop. When Jesse asks, “How much cash do you need?”  Heisenberg responds, “More.”  It is almost as if the money itself is speaking.  Even after telling Jesse he is done cooking, he goes back once Jesse delivers the money from the previous cook.

Diligence and Sloth.

                        Walt expresses diligence on multiple occasions; his persistence is almost unmatched.  Walt’s desire to continue pushing for what he wants and never give up is the reason there are five seasons of Breaking Bad, but it begins in season one.   When strangling Krazy-8 and getting stabbed in the leg, he doesn’t stop; he continues to choke him until his eyes bulge and he dies.  Walt is also very adamant about establishing his place in his relationships.  He continually reminds Jesse that he is the cook and Jesse does the distribution.

            Though it is subtle, Heisenberg commits the sin of sloth on a few occasions.  He wants instant gratification, almost as if he is too impatient to do things the best way possible.  Walt steals lab equipment from the school instead of taking an extra step from getting it somewhere else.  Almost to a fault, Heisenberg refuses and denies almost all confrontation with Skyler.  It seems he is too lazy to deal with the repercussions of his actions.  He doesn’t tell her about having cancer until well after diagnosis; he lies to her about quitting the carwash.  In a more visible example of sloth, Heisenberg makes Jesse do all his errands for him. 

Patience and Wrath.

            One of the most frequent sins that Heisenberg commits is wrath, or rage; he acts on impulse on many occasions.  When he finally decides to stand up to Skyler, he doesn’t do it calmly or civilly.  Instead, he takes the less socially acceptable approach: “So right now, what I need is for you to climb down out of my ass.”  Even with Jesse, he jumps the gun. He tells Jesse they are done cooking and they will go their separate ways, only to come back later.  His wrath grows beyond just spoken words and sometimes crosses into full blown violence.  He acts out in many different forms of violence: from blowing up douchebag Ken’s car, to taking out a bully’s leg in the clothing store with Skyler and Walter, Jr.  The purest form of Heisenberg’s rage comes from killing Mike in Season 5, all because of a lack of respect. 

            Contrary to his opposite, Walter, expresses patience, or peace.  He gives into Skyler to go through chemotherapy to keep peace within the family. Walter believes that murder is wrong as written on his list about killing or letting Krazy-8 go.  He writes “You are not a murderer” (At that point, Emilio had already been killed).  Walt keeps the peace by showing a respect for certain characters.  He prefers to call Krazy-8 by his real name, Domingo.  This allowed the two men to be on the same social level.  Even after the Krazy-8 and Emilio dilemma, he tells Jesse, “No more bloodshed.  No more violence.” 

Kindness and Envy.

            Expressing himself in acts of kindness, or compassion, is something Walt does.  As the seasons progress, there are less and less instances of this virtue. Early on, he shows compassion for Jesse on multiple occasions.  He visits Jesse in the hospital after Jesse is beat up by Tuco, and even expresses an understanding if Jesse didn’t want to be there when Walt met up with Tuco.  Even for his victims, Walt recognizes they are people, too.  Walt says “I’m sorry” over and over to Krazy-8 after he kills him.  Even though he is the cause of so much damage, it is the compassion Walt shows that keeps viewers on his side.

            Envy can be dangerous, and in the case of Heisenberg, there are no exceptions.  Though he rarely expresses it to his old friends he is incredibly envious of them with a small dash of spite.  This should come as no surprise.  In season five, Heisenberg explains to Jesse about his partnership in Gray Matter.  He speaks about taking a buyout for five thousand dollars and the company is now worth $2.16 billion (“That’s billions with a ‘B’”).  To prove he is envious, he mentions checking it weekly. Heisenberg makes no attempt to extinguish his jealous attitude; because he becomes those he is envious of, he always has to have something to fuel the fire.  One person at a time, Heisenberg becomes his victims.  He becomes a distributer once Krazy-8 and Tuco die.  After killing Gus, Heisenberg takes Gus’s position as meth kingpin and international drug lord. It might not be safe to have something Heisenberg wants; after all, he is the one who knocks.           

Humility and Pride.

            Humility is expressed as bravery or modesty, both of which are virtues of Walter White.  His bravery is depicted as he stands in the face of danger. He demands money from Tuco, on Tuco’s turf.  Even telling Krazy-8 he has cancer is an amazingly brave feat.  Though some would argue, Walter can be exceptionally modest. In fact, in the first episode viewers are presented with a framed award for a Nobel Prize.  Walt never gloats about this, which is extremely modest.  Even with more recent accomplishments he shrugs it off.  After cooking their first batch together Jesse is flabbergasted: “This is glass grade.”  Walt just shrugs it off.   It is almost as if Walt is humble until his accomplishments get recognition, then Heisenberg becomes proud.

             Normally, having pride for something you have done is viewed as positive and confident.  In Heisenberg’s case, there is no doubt that pride is a sin.  He prides himself on the things he has accomplished and how others view him.  During the talking pillow scene, Heisenberg lets it be known that he doesn’t want to be remembered for being sick and helpless.  Though it is for his son, Walter, Jr., Heisenberg puts the handicap placard away after being humiliated at the car wash by Chad.  He doesn’t even want his family to see him weak, which is witnessed in the first scene of the first episode.  When making his “not-admission of guilt” video, Heisenberg covers the camera when he loses his composure and uncovers it when he regains it.  When offered, he refuses to accept any help in funding his cancer treatment; he also refuses going to his own mother to ask for help. In the face of a deadly disease, he shaves his head as a badge of pride— almost as if he is standing up to cancer and telling it: “I won.”

            And because of all of this, Walter White has won, numerous times.  Being one sided is not enough to be a character on Breaking Bad; being two faced is not enough to be Walter White. To be Walter, you need fourteen.  It hasn’t fell on deaf ears either, as viewers have been captivated and intrigued by Mr. White for seven sins, seven virtues, and all five seasons. 

Monday, April 28th, 2014--5 pm

Hello,

a few things:

1. Below you will find the handout from our class discussion today. Those who were absent may want to get additional notes that are not on the handout from a fellow student.

2. I realized after section 7's class today that I did not mention the issue of tense. Just a reminder that you always want to remain in present tense unless it is illogical to do so. Specifically, in out of class essay 3, you want to stay in present tense when referring to a scene. Example: Walter destroyed Tuco's headquarters. Better: Walter destroys Tuco's headquarters.

3. If you are unable to submit a rough draft of essay 3 today, I will still accept rough drafts during this week.
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English 20---C. Fraga

Thinking back over out of class essay 2…

This is just a partial list of issues that continued to show up in many final draft student essays from the out of class essay 2 assignment. The majority of these errors are ones that we reviewed in class after I returned out of class essay 1.

Please consider the following when conducting your final editing and proofreading of out of class essay 3. (Obviously, you will ALSO study my comments on your previous work.)

(We will review sentence structure issues on Wednesday)

·      Check the Unacceptable Errors handout—both the unacceptable errors listed AND  the information that follows the list.

·      One main idea per paragraph.

·      A topic sentence of a paragraph introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This means that the topic sentence cannot be a question or a quotation.

·      Follow MLA format exactly. I realize that it means having to pay close attention to details; however, this is one of the best preparations for working in the “real world,” no matter your area of interest. Having to follow protocol from an employer is something you will find yourself having to do very often.

·      For every general statement that you write in an essay, be sure that a specific statement closely follows.

·      Using an abundance of words to state something that can be written in a lot fewer words REALLY impacts clarity and readability and retention. If I have noted wordiness as an issue in your work, please take the time to review my editing. I always provide at least one example for you of how to eliminate excess words.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

NEW UNACCEPTABLE ERROR

BEGINNING WITH YOUR THIRD OUT OF CLASS ESSAY.

If there is any evidence that you did not run a spell check program, I will deduct 10 points from your earned score. In other words, the first time I encounter a word that is misspelled and a spell check program WOULD have caught it, 10 points will be deducted. (if I encounter more than one word that a spell check program would have caught, I will not deduct any MORE points—just 10 points for the first one I come across.