Introduction 

Our chosen topic for the digital exhibit is “Virus Eco Horror." There are a multitude of reasons why we feel that this genre is a crucial exploration of themes and societal attitudes that envelope post-pandemic society. We aim to explore several texts, both novels and films, to illustrate commonalities that are present in various Eco-horror texts. In addition, to connect our theme to the stresses of the pandemic, we want to identify the impact of both literary and cinematic techniques that encapsulate the horrifying power of nature demonstrated by viruses.

We aim to identify character archetypes pesent throughout the genre, from the mad scientist to the antihero protagonist. Through these characters, we hope to explore how different perspectives on a global pandemic are represented. We argue that this serves as an important focal point to connect the themes we explore to the essence of human experience in the texts we analyze. 

Scope of Analysis
Overall, we want to cover the following aspects of Virus Ecohorror.

• The scope and origins of the deadly virus trope.

• The scale of the impact of the virus and its relevance to the entire text.

• The protagonist and their roles and a “Survivor or Savior” archetype.

• The presence of antagonistic influences and its wider societal implications.

• The role of conspiracy theories in developing the general narrative in this genre.

• How has the genre evolved since the pandemic?

• How the virus trope preys on human paranoia (being attacked by an invisible enemy).