The publisher of the classic 1936 novel “Gone With the Wind” has added a trigger warning to the latest edition saying it contains “racist” depictions and content that may be “hurtful” to readers.
Pan Macmillan, the publisher of Margaret Mitchell’s Civil War epic, added a lengthy warning to the 2022 edition, according to the Telegraph.
“‘Gone with the Wind’ is a novel which includes problematic elements including the romanticisation of a shocking era in our history and the horrors of slavery. The novel includes the representation of unacceptable practices, racist and stereotypical depictions and troubling themes, characterisation, language and imagery,” the warning read according to the outlet.
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“The text of this book remains true to the original in every way and is reflective of the language and period in which it was originally written. We want to alert readers that there may be hurtful or indeed harmful phrases and terminology that were prevalent at the time this novel was written and which are true to the context of the historical setting of this novel. Pan Macmillan believes changing the text to reflect today’s world would undermine the authenticity of the original, so has chosen to leave the text in its entirety.”
“This does not, however, constitute an endorsement of the characterisation, content or language used,” it continued.
The novel follows the story of Southern belle and daughter of a plantation owner Scarlett O’Hara and her struggle to maintain possession of her family’s property amid the destruction and devastation of the Civil War.
The popular novel was made into an Oscar-winning film in 1939, starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable but was criticized for its depiction of Black people and slavery.
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HBO Max pulled the film from its streaming service in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in 2020. WarnerMedia chief Bob Greenblatt said the film would return to the platform after a disclaimer had been added to denounce the “racist depictions” in the movie.
A spokesperson for HBO added that “Gone With the Wind” is a “product of its time and depicts some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that have, unfortunately, been commonplace in American society. These racist depictions were wrong then and are wrong today, and we felt that to keep this title up without an explanation and a denouncement of those depictions would be irresponsible.”
“Gone With the Wind” went on to win eight Oscars including best picture and made history when Hattie McDaniel became the first Black American to win an Oscar for her performance.
