Running head: CONTAGION: THEMATIC ANALYSIS FILM CASE STUDY 1

Contagion: Thematic Analysis Film Case Study

Sherri White
King University
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Contagion: Thematic Analysis Film Case Study

Real life circumstances are often dramatically portrayed in literature and in film. Authors

and screen play writers develop their plots using themes that help to expand on the conception of

the human experience that is encompassed in the story. Themes help to increase the audiences

experience and make it relatable and understandable. Several themes emerge in the movie

Contagion which help to make this work relatable to the audience and portray real life

circumstances that have art portraying life (Soderbergh, 2011).

Death emerges as one of the most prevalent themes portrayed in this work. It crosses all

societal boundaries and ethnicities. Death occurs in previously healthy people living their daily

lives. They are suddenly and unknowingly infected with a fatal disease in the form of an

invisible virus that replicates rapidly and kills swiftly. Death comes to young children, older

adults, affluent and average humans. Death is eminent for all ethnicities, while fatalities are

occurring in large metropolitan areas and small villages all around the world. Deaths are

depicted of humans and animals in single deaths and of mass casualties.

Health professionals often are given the difficult task of informing a family member

about the death of a loved one. The illustration portrayed of the physician informing the husband

of his wife’s death shows no empathy by the physician. He is in the middle of the hallway in a

standing position telling him his wife is dead. While he expresses his condolences, nothing

about the way the doctor relays the news is compassionate or considerate of the situation or the

circumstances. The loss and death is further complicated for this husband and stepfather when

the mortuary will not complete a traditional funeral service. He is further insulted because his

wife and stepchild are required to be cremated which is against his and the family’s wishes for

their loved ones. This family has experienced physical death and now is experiencing death of a

relationship, death to their wishes, death to life as they knew it and death in society.
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While this film does not highlight the nursing profession, it does highlight the need for

the public health response. It highlights medical professionals roles in responding to the

outbreak and how to trace it back to the origin. The investigation of discovering the origination

point, the complexities of the viral components and how to isolate and contact trace is depicted.

It shows how those charged with finding a cure are also experiencing the loss of colleagues and

mourning silently while continuing to combat the disease.

Such is the current state of nursing. Nurses are currently experiencing greater numbers of

patient death and witnessing patients dying without their loved ones present. Nurses are the

liaison for the patient and the family members. Nurses are experiencing their own feelings of

fear for themselves and their family in a pandemic as well as the added burden of being

overworked due to loss of staff also infected and the stress of more patients on the health system.

Longer lengths of stay, combined with increased acuity stress the individual and perpetuate

anxiety and physical side effects leading to nursing burnout and nursing leaving the profession

(Fernandez, et al., 2020).

“During a global healthcare crisis, societal structures were thrust into mystifying risks

and ever-changing patterns of relating for the professional healthcare disciplines and their

members” (Milton, 2020, p. 297, ¶ 2). Nurses are experiencing loss of confidence in their

administration. There have been loss of freedoms in the form of masking mandates.

Requirements for greater numbers of nurse to patient ratios have been required. Emergency

mandates in the form of governmental executive orders have caused some loss of trust in the

previous policies established. Nonetheless, nurses are bound by duty and desire to heal.

My personal experience with death of family members and of patients is you do the most

you can for each person to the very end. We do not see our patients through their burial, but we
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hold their hand or the hand of their loved ones to the end. We see our family to the grave and

while we go through the stages of grief, each death is always with us. Each death is a physical

healing with a transformation to a different form of life. The soul is eternally resting and those

who die knowing Christ as their personal savior have the promise of eternal life.

Panic is another theme that emerges with conspiracy theory and lack of transparency on

behalf of public officials. Panic spreads quickly and leads to public demise. Crime in the forms

of kidnapping, pillaging and robbing, extortion, murder and mob mentality arise motivated by

fear in the face of an unknown virus. Panic causes suspicion in the established system leading

law abiding citizens to act out of fear and mistrust. Wilensky and Teitelbaum (2020) state, “fear

of disease, in addition to disease itself, can lead to societal disruption, which can lead to civil

disorder, political unrest, and ultimately, destabilization” (p. 300, ¶ 1).

The opposite of panic is calm. In the race to find a vaccine, the epidemiologists are calm

and methodical in practice, journaling and documenting each iteration of the vaccine and the

response. Nursing professionals practice and train for health crisis daily. Public policy guidance

and preparedness statues exist to meet the need of developing risks. Wilensky and Teitelbaum

(2020) speak of “statutes, regulations, and policy guidance documents which form the foundation

of public health preparedness” (p. 305, ¶ 2). Nursing professionals respond to public health crisis

and stand on the front lines to care for patients. Nursing professionals are those who care for and

educate their patients about prevention and protection. Nursing professionals dispel conspiracy

theory with facts and truth and practicing preventive measures. Healthcare professionals on the

frontlines lead the way by example through providing calm in the midst of panic by

demonstrating and promoting vaccination as a form of self-care and prevention.

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Resilience and stamina are increased when nurses practice and demonstrate self-care.

Nursing professionals need to practice self-care which decreases anxiety associated with panic.

“Self-care is a regular, intentional process of devoting oneself to protecting and sustaining

mental health. It is backed by science and not just feel good, self-indulgent sentiments” (Lee,

2019, p. 1, ¶ 2). It has become evident to me that finding ways to demonstrate self-care to my

staff gives them permission and encourages them to disconnect from work in positive ways.

The themes of Contagion are emerging as real life in front of our eyes during this global

pandemic (Soderbergh, 2011). They are not imagined, they are not conspiracy theory, they

depict real life circumstances that has seen devastating death and caused fear and panic

worldwide. Nurses are trusted professionals that bring calm in panic, they are present in death

and offer compassion and empathy to their patients which demonstrates resilience to the world.
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References

Fernandez, R., Lord, H., Halcomb, E., Moxham, L., Middleton, R., Alananzeh, I., & Ellwood, L. (2020).

Implications for COVID-19: A systematic review of nurses' experiences of working in acute care

hospital settings during a respiratory pandemic. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 1-8.

doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103637

Lee, K. (2019, October 04). Self-care isn't selfish or superficial: Science shows that prevention is less

costly than repair. Retrieved from Psychology Today:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rethink-your-way-the-good-life/201910/self-care-isn-

t-selfish-or-superficial

Milton, C. (2020). Living the art of nursing: Lessons from a pandemic. Nursing Science Quarterly, 297-

298. doi:10.1177/0894318420943135

Soderbergh, S. (Director). (2011). Contagion [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from

https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/contagion

Wilensky, S., & Teitelbaum, J. (2020). Essentials of Health Policy and Law. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett

Learning.