Walter White vs. The Unnamed Grandmother

While reading the short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," I was struck by the character that the story seems to center around: the grandmother. She is a polarizing figure, with many readers, including myself, finding it hard to empathize and relate to her, while some are drawn to her ideals and old-fashioned lifestyle. The Grandmother reminds me of another polarizing figure in popular culture: Bryan Cranston’s character in the critically acclaimed series Breaking Bad. Although Breaking Bad is a television show and not a movie, its success and appeal are based off of its enigmatic and dark storyline brought to life by the lead character, Walter White, so I feel it applies to this discussion. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the grandmother is focused on her family, has a set of moral values different from the rest of the cast, and above all else, is never self-critical.

                The first and most obvious similarity between the two characters is their commitment to their families. The grandmother tries to avoid the Misfit at all costs in order to protect her family; meanwhile, Walter begins cooking meth in order to provide for his family after he dies. Both characters strive to put family before almost everything, willing to cross paths with dangerous foes along the way in order to do what they believe is best for their kin. The operative word is most, however, because each has a fundamental flaw that alters their set of moral values from the rest of the cast. The grandmother believes being a lady should come before anything else and this foolish façade she puts on ends up harming her family in the end, when she causes a car accident. Walter on the other hand is consumed by greed, ultimately endangering his family for the pursuit of pecuniary benefits. Finally, both Mr. White and the unnamed grandmother are always throwing judgment on others while never reflecting upon their own transgressions and mistakes. They never stop to question their own role in the precarious situations they find their families in and refuse to admit any role in their current plights.

                Two seemingly opposite characters in Walter White and the grandmother are driven by the same characteristics, which make them so dividing in our culture today. While critics may rave over both stories, common viewers may find them hard to appreciate or relate to. Unfortunately for the short story, those readers who are alienated by the messages presented have no other means of understanding the story; by contrast, viewers of Breaking Bad are aided by the actor’s portrayal of the characters, facial expressions, and details in the set design (to name a few factors) that make it a visual medium. [The clip at the end of the video shows Walter's darker side, convincing his wife that he will do anything to protect his family.] Those who cannot bring themselves to like the grandmother may find Walter to be flawed, but more understandable for it, due to the artistic choices present. That is why, at the end of the day, whether film and television are considered literature or not, they bring elements to the table that “classic literature” simply cannot, appealing to a broader audience, and interacting with that audience more deeply, for better or worse.