ARCHETYPES OF TOXIC MASCULINITY AND RELUCTANT FEMININITY IN LIMINAL SITUATIONS. THE CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC ENEMIES IN THE WORLDS OF “WEDNESDAY†AND “BREAKING BADâ€

Anamaria Sasu
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Anamaria Sasu: University of Bucharest

Social Sciences and Education Research Review, 2025, vol. 12, issue 2, 492-501

Abstract: This article, based on the findings of the Gemini project , explores the perception of gender and family in Breaking Bad and Wednesday through the lens of archetypes and liminal development. Breaking Bad discusses traditional family values as impacted by the challenges and overall conditions of modern society, offering examples of toxic masculinity, toxic relationships and the role of women within the family, while Wednesday is an upside-down image of reality, within an unconventional family, where discussions about individualism, parental expectations and gender nonconformity are the norm. Both shows showcase characters in liminal situations and use complex relationships to critique gender norms and the evolving concept of family, while engaging audiences with nuanced portrayals of social identity. This analysis explores the liminal worlds and archetypal references in these two serial dramas, with a focus on gender and family, in an attempt to discover their appeal to young audiences.

Keywords: Toxic masculinity; Gender archetypes; Liminality; Jungian archetypal analysis; Gender nonconformity; Family representation; Otherness and identity construction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L82 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:edt:jsserr:v:12:y:2025:i:2:p:492-501

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18800524

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