Kelsey Taradash by Kelsey Taradash

Walter White

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:37:21 UTC

Cancer Patient

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:38:45 UTC

Walter sustains the label of a cancer patient, an ascribed status. This diagnosis was not assigned at birth, however, it was assumed involuntarily later in life. Obviously, it was not chosen. When Walter discovered he had only two years to live, this is when he began to spiral and decided to start cooking meth. Throughout the series, he attempts to put his cancer diagnosis to the side and become a powerful drug lord in the time he has left. This leads to a role strain because although he is trying to build a drug empire, he is limited in his physical abilities and duty to go to his doctor's appointments. Two status symbols of Walter's sickness are his bald head and cough. These are two things that reveal his illness and make him seem weak. These symbols are prominent from the show's beginning since he shaved his head immediately after being diagnosed, and the cough which makes him distinctive and recognizable not only in his family but also in the drug world.

Father/Parent

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:39:09 UTC

Walter's status of a parent to Holly and Walt Jr. is an achieved status because he had the choice of becoming a father, it was not assumed involuntarily. Walter has been a parent for 17 years to Walt Jr. and a parent to his baby Holly for two years. Ultimately, his role performance is not up to society's standards as Walter goes through multiple rough stages with his children and endangers them multiple times throughout the time when he acts as Heisenberg.

Teacher

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:39:14 UTC

Walter is first introduced as a high school chemistry teacher in the show. This is an achieved status because it was something that he had chosen to do as his profession; he was not forced into it. He keeps his job through the beginning of the show, in his early cancer stages, but then ultimately undergoes role conflict which leads to him quitting his job. The role conflict that occurs with Walter is between his job and his meth cook/Heisenberg alias. Through the time where he works as a teacher after he starts to cook meth, he encounters many issues. Firstly, he is almost caught stealing lab equipment from the school, which he needs when he cooks meth. This is a close call along with the time he hid his burner phone in his classroom which a student almost finds and picks up. This is a perfect example of role conflict because he is caught between being a teacher and being a meth manufacturer.

Heisenberg

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:39:28 UTC

This is Walter's achieved status and master status. Heisenberg was Walter's alias when he was dealing with his drug business partners and deals. He chose this cover name after a famous chemist who was known for his discovery of an uncertainty principle. This is Walter's achieved status because he earned the name of being the best meth cook in drug production at this time. Although the show does not begin with this being Walter's master status, it definitely evolves into his most defining social position. This is because his financial situation changes, his reputation changes, he is involved with a different group of people, and his morals begin to change because of it. A status symbol of Heisenberg is his signature blue, pure meth. This meth is regarded as being the purest ever produced, hence the blue appearance it has. The blue meth represents Walter's past education of being a chemist and how he is the top meth cook in the area.

Chemist

24ktaradash — 2023-11-17 14:40:35 UTC

Walter possesses the achieved status of a chemist. At the beginning of Walter's career, he held a Ph.D. in chemistry and worked with a group of chemists who earned a Nobel Prize for their work. This reinforces the idea that Walter was very intelligent and worked for the status of being a doctor and sharing a Nobel Prize with his research group. Although he is still utilizing his Ph.D. when working as a teacher, he is working at a status lower than what he was previously at. An example of a status symbol for the chemist aspect of his life would be the Nobel Prize. The Nobel Prize represented his intellect and all that he was capable of.