The Great American (Vaccine) Novel: An Analysis of Vaccines as Described in Modern Literature Pubblico
Girdhar, Katherine (Spring 2019)
Abstract
The topic of vaccination is one that sparks plenty of debate, attention from public health institutions, and formal study. While scientific vaccine information and official recommendations are carefully crafted for optimum reception, depictions of vaccination in narrative fiction and the influence of vaccine information found in popular literature are largely ignored. This study sought to begin assessing the impact of these understudied sources of public opinion by analyzing novels published in English since 2010, identified with “vaccine” or “vaccination” as a keyword. These texts were analyzed independently through close reading, mixed methods, and literary analysis techniques. Metaphors used to describe vaccines were identified in each. The majority of novels in this study presented vaccines that were effective in protecting recipients against their pathogen of interest, but many were accompanied by unintended consequences, even those distributed or subsidized by the government. The texts also addressed themes such as personal autonomy, national security, and profitability in connection with vaccines. The data from this study may be applied for public health professionals seeking to confront negative stereotypes about vaccines by equipping them with a more comprehensive understanding of the manner in which vaccines are discussed in popular fiction, and subsequently how those views may be adopted by readers.
Table of Contents
Background ................................................................................................. 1
Introduction ............................................................................................... 7
Methods ...................................................................................................... 8
Results ....................................................................................................... 10
Quantitative Results ................................................................................... 11
Literary Analysis Results ............................................................................ 14
Discussion .................................................................................................. 22
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 24
References .................................................................................................. 25
Appendix .................................................................................................... 29
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