Från Mr. Chips till Scarface - En studie om monomyten i relation till antihjälten

Abstract

In the tv-series Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan has created the enigma Walter White. This study analyses the Hero’s Journey in the context of Breaking Bad by applying Joseph Campbell’s theory of the monomyth to the antihero illustrating their relation. Findings indicate that Walter makes an alternate Hero’s Journey and that it does not necessarily apply only to traditional heroes, or even to antiheroes, but potentially also to outright villains. Findings also illustrate a greater need to understand complex characters outside currently defined frameworks. Walter conforms to both antihero and villain through his transformation into the villainous Heisenberg. However, findings indicate that he transcends these definitions. This study illuminates the need to further comprehend complex characters which the audience partly sympathize with, although societal norms classify them as outright villains.