Virginia Woolf’s classic ‘To the Lighthouse’ receives trigger warning

KARAH RUCKER: THE MOVEMENT TARGETING CLASSIC NOVELS OVER SO-CALLED TRIGGERING OR OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE HAS A NEW TARGET – “TO THE LIGHTHOUSE”. A CLASSIC BRITISH NOVEL WRITTEN BY VIRGINIA WOOLF. APPARENTLY — WORTHY OF A NEW TRIGGER WARNING – OVER THE ATTITUDES PORTRAYED IN THE BOOK.

THE DISCLAIMER — ADDED FOR AMERICAN READERS — SAYS QUOTE “THIS BOOK WAS PUBLISHED IN 1927 AND REFLECTS THE ATTITUDES OF ITS TIME.”

THE PUBLISHER “VINTAGE BOOKS” BASED IN NEW YORK — IS OWNED BY PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE.

THE NEW WARNING LABEL DENIES ANY QUOTE “ENDORSEMENT OF CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS OR LANGUAGE” USED IN THE NOVEL. CRITICS OF THE DISCLAIMER CALL IT VAGUE – AS READERS ARE HAVING TROUBLE PINPOINTING WHERE THE CONTROVERSY LIES.

THE NOVEL DESCRIBED AS A SEMI-AUTO-BIOGRAPHY ABOUT A FAMILY VISITING THEIR SUMMER HOME IN SCOTLAND.

IF YOU BUY A NEWLY PRINTED COPY OF “TO THE LIGHTHOUSE” IN BRITAIN – THE CLASSIC BOOK COMES AS IT DID IN THE 19-TWENTIES. IT’S BOOKSTORES ACROSS THE U.S. THAT WILL HAVE THE UPDATED COPIES. AMERICANS BEING THE INTENDED AUDIENCE OF THESE TRIGGER WARNINGS.

VIRIGINIA WOOLF IS JUST THE LATEST AUTHOR TO HAVE HER WORK ALTERED OR UPDATED FOR MORE SENSITIVE AUDIENCES. R.L. STINE, ROALD DAHL, AGATHA CHRISTIE, GONE WITH THE WIND AUTHOR MARGARET MITCHELL – AND THE LIST KEEPS GROWING.