Introduction
AMC’s TV series Mad Men provides good tidbits for psychological investigation. The show centers around advertising professionals cast in the early 60s. The show has benefitted immensely from social media as viewers have sought to interact with their favorite characters on online platforms. The characters Pete Campbell and Don Draper provide non-stop drama for their bold and sometimes irresponsible behavior. Pete Campbell appears to be the stronger character because he controls people. On the other hand, Pete tries to copy Don, often failing miserably. This paper provides a comparison between the characters of Pete Campbell and Don Draper in AMC’s TV series Mad Men.
Pete is the villain while Don is the antihero. In season 1, Pete emerges as a creep. He seduces Peggy before treating her cruelly and impregnating her. He tries to get her back but continues to keep her at arm’s length in emotional terms. Similarly, he begs his mistress to elope with him. He puts on a sad face to earn her trust (Weiner, Anderson & Hamm 2007). The disturbing issue about Pete’s request is that he and his mistress barely know each other. He emerges as immature and naughty. Don emerges as the antihero because he is the central character who lacks heroic qualities. He mentors Peggy, supports her especially when she was in the hospital and confides in her. In this regard, Pete’s character is more unpleasant than Don’s as seen through their relationships with Peggy (Weiner, Anderson & Hamm 2007).
Don is driven and strong while Pete is weak and passive. Don moves around with panache. He is driven to achieve and seize moments when they arise. He emerges as confident. In season 3, even Peggy tells Don, "You have everything, and so much of it" (Weiner, Anderson & Hamm 2007). However, Don disagrees because he is not content to sit on his laurels. Pete, on the other hand, cannot live up to Don’s standards even when he tries to copy him. For example, when he is mistaken to be Don Draper, he tries to take advantage of it. Pete feels entitled while Don knows nothing is for free.
Don and Pete are not entirely different. They share a few similarities. Perhaps the most evident, however, is their common womanizing nature and ability to use words to trick women into doing their bidding. For example, in season one, Pete manages to control Trudy with “sweet” words, “You don't want me to have what I want" (Weiner, Anderson & Hamm 2007).Similarly, Don tells Megan that he “just wanted you to have what you want” (Weiner, Anderson & Hamm 2007). (Mad Men, 2007). The two men know how to tell people what they want to hear so that they can get what they want.
Conclusion
The characters of Pete Campbell and Don Draper in AMC’s TV series Mad Men provides for an interesting comparison. The two men have similarities as well as differences in character that emerge from their behavior. First, Don is the antihero, while Pete is the villain. These traits are evident from the way each of them relates to Peggy. Pete mistreats her while Don comforts her. Secondly, Don is the driven go-getter, while Pete is weak and feels entitled. The two characters also share similarities in character, best summed-up in their easy-going nature with women. Both of them are skilled at using words to make women do their bidding. This trait is evident from Pete’s treatment of his wife, Trudy, and Don’s treatment of Megan. Overall, the TV series stirs various discourses on the character.
References
Weiner, M., Anderson, J., Hamm, J. (2007). Mad Men. U.S. AMC
