Breaking Bad Scene Analysis: “An Awkward Assembly”
Scene Context:
A recent disaster, which Walt was partially responsible for, just occurred and has traumatized the community. No one knows of his involvement except for himself.
Scene Conflicts:
- Walt wants to move on from the incident
- The crowd/MC want a show of “acceptable” responses
Scene Outline:
- An assembly is taking place regarding the recent plane crash. Students speak.
- With each student, Walt grows more and more irritated with their response to the crash.
- Walt swears in frustration. The MC notices. Walt excuses his outburst as him being moved.
- The MC offers him the mic, has the crowd cheer him for returning from chemotherapy. He takes the mic.
- Walt speaks slowly, struggling to form a cohesive/acceptable idea. Begins to talk about how the crash is, statistically, not too awful.
- With more confidence, Walt begins to explain how the disaster will be forgotten and advises the crowd to simply move on.
- The MC takes the mic from Walt.
Why It Works:
Primal Tension: One of the greatest fears humans possess is being put in the spotlight. Public speaking is terrifying for most people, and here, we have Walt anxiously watching and waiting for his inevitable time to present. When he does speak and gets a leering reaction, viewers are simply too horrified to look away.
Dramatic Irony: We know something which everyone, Walt excluded, don’t. Walt was a major part of the plane crash. This ramps up the dramatic tension, as each story that comes forth is now part of a greater story- the damage caused by Walt’s actions. These aren’t just recollections of an event anymore- these are descriptions of Walt’s impact on his community.
Truth to Protagonist: This is one of the worst things Walt could say in this situation- yet, it makes sense, character-wise, for him to say it. He’s using his platform in an attempt to switch off his guilt, and through this monologue, we get a rare look into how he rationalizes his immorality.
Switch of Reception: Walt is cheered after taking the mic, only to entirely botch his speech and receive glares by the end of it. This massive tonal shift serves as a clear indicator of the scene’s impact, and an entirely accessible way for audiences to understand the scene’s content.
Summary:
This scene works not only because it utilizes the aforementioned tools, but because it focuses purely on character. There’s no grand plot revelations going on here, and the tension, though palpable, doesn’t have us concerned for external plot elements. Rather, we are entirely focused on Walt, and specifically on how he reacts to the trauma he’s inadvertently caused. It makes for a fascinating scene centered around a fascinating character, and as a result, draws the audience deeper into the world of Walter White.
