[Updated] The Scarlet Letter Trigger Warning List

Hi everyone! Sorry about my long absence, but I'm back with the updated version of the trigger warning list for The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

[Important: Please note that trigger warnings are not necessarily to make it so that you can just avoid the content. There is a fairly popular mistaken belief that trigger warnings are censorship. That is not true. Trigger warnings exist so that, if you are sensitive to the content, you are made aware of it before it occurs and surprises you. This gives you a chance to prepare yourself mentally before reading it so that it does not affect you as negatively as it might if you didn’t know that it was going to happen. Also, please note that if you rely on triggers for the shock-value or plot twists (aka, “Well I can’t use trigger warnings because they’re spoilers!”), you aren’t a very good writer and you definitely aren’t taking into consideration the potential sensitivity of your audience.]

Triggers, listed in order of the number of occurrences are: death, ableist language, racism, alcohol, and child abuse.

The paragraph numbers and a general summary of each are listed on the following pages. For reference, the italicized numbers in the parenthesis are the page numbers in my book, and the total number of paragraphs in each chapter are listed below:

Chapter 1 (The Prison Door) - 3
Chapter 2 (The Market-Place) - 22
Chapter 3 (The Recognition) - 34
Chapter 4 (The Interview) - 33
Chapter 5 (Hester at Her Needle) - 13
Chapter 6 (Pearl) - 27
Chapter 7 (The Governor’s Hall) - 25
Chapter 8 (The Elf-Child and the Minister) - 43
Chapter 9 (The Leech) - 19
Chapter 10 (The Leech and His Patient) - 46
Chapter 11 (The Interior of a Heart) - 10
Chapter 12 (The Minister’s Vigil) - 53
Chapter 13 (Another View of Hester) - 11
Chapter 14 (Hester and the Physician) - 32
Chapter 15 (Hester and Pearl) - 33
Chapter 16 (A Forest Walk) - 36
Chapter 17 (The Pastor and His Parishioner) - 53
Chapter 18 (A Flood of Sunshine) - 22
Chapter 19 (The Child at the Brook-Side) - 38
Chapter 20 (The Minister in a Maze) - 31
Chapter 21 (The New England Holiday) - 27
Chapter 22 (The Procession) - 30
Chapter 23 (The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter) - 38
Chapter 24 (Conclusion) - 13


Death
Death is mentioned in passing or occurs in the following paragraphs:
  • Paragraph 2 (5) of chapter 1.
  • In paragraph 1 (7) of chapter 2, there is a mention of execution and hanging
  • Paragraphs 1 (7), 2 (8), 7 (9), 17 (12), 19 (13), and 21 (15) of chapter 2.
  • Paragraphs 12 (19) and 32 (25) of chapter 3.
  • Paragraphs 2 (26) and 27 (32) of chapter 4.
  • In paragraph 12 (28) of chapter 4, there is a mention of wishing for death.
  • Paragraphs 1 (34), 6 (36), 7 (37), and 9 (38) of chapter 5.
  • In paragraph 7 (46) of chapter 6, there is a brief mention of scalping.
  • Paragraphs 11 (49) and 13 of chapter 6.
  • Paragraphs 8 (54) and 16 (56) of chapter 7.
  • Paragraphs 21 (64), 22, and 39 (68) of chapter 8.
  • Paragraphs 1 (70), 3 (72), 7 (73), 8, 16 (77), and 17 (78) of chapter 9.
  • Paragraphs 1 (80), 6 (81), 8, 14 (83), 19 (84), 24 (85), 29 (86), and 37 (87) of chapter 10.
  • Paragraphs 2 (91), 5 (93), 6, and 8 (95) of chapter 11.
  • Paragraphs 5 (98), 7 (99), 11 (100), 16 (102), and 45 (107) of chapter 12.
  • Paragraphs 6 (113), 8 (114), and 9 (115) of chapter 13.
  • Paragraphs 12 (119), 13, 16 (120), and 17 of chapter 14.
  • Paragraph 22 (129) of chapter 15.
  • Paragraph 35 (137) of chapter 16.
  • Paragraphs 7 (138), 17 (140), 23 (142), 24, 28 (143), 40 (145), 41, 48 (146), 49 (147), and 50 of chapter 17.
  • Paragraphs 4 (149), 9 (150), and 13 (151) of chapter 18.
  • Paragraphs 7 (166), 12 (168), 19 (169), 25 (171), and 26 of chapter 20.
  • Paragraph 2 (173) of chapter 21.
  • Paragraphs 12 (186) and 29 (191) of chapter 22.
  • Paragraphs 3 (194), 8 (196), 23 (198), 24, 28 (200), 32, 36 (201), 37, and 38 of chapter 23.
  • Paragraphs 3 (202), 5 (203), 6 (204), 7 (205), 9, and 12 (207) of chapter 24.


Ableist Language
  • In paragraph 19 (14) of chapter 2, the word mad is used.
  • In paragraph 25 (65) of chapter 8, the word madness is used.
  • In paragraph 7 (100) of chapter 12, the word mad is used.
  • In paragraph 11 (100) of chapter 12, the word crazed is used.
  • In paragraph 10 (115) of chapter 13, the word lunacy is used.
  • In paragraph 10 (116) of chapter 13, the word maddened is used.
  • In paragraph 22 (142) of chapter 17, the word insanity is used.
  • In paragraph 22 (142) of chapter 17, the word madness is used.
  • In paragraph 11 (168) of chapter 20, the word mad is used.
  • In paragraph 12 (186) of chapter 22, the word insanity is used.
  • In paragraph 14 (195) of chapter 23, the word madman is used.


Racism
The racism that occurs in this book is generally in reference to Native Americans.
  • In paragraph 1 (7) of chapter 2, there is an allusion to whipping a Native American.
  • In paragraph 1 (17) of chapter 3, Native clothing is referred to as “savage.”
  • In paragraph 6 (18) of chapter 3, Native Americans are described as savages.
  • In paragraphs 1 (26) of chapter 4, Native Americans are described as savages.
  • In paragraph 7 (46) of chapter 6, there is a mention of children pretending to scalp Native Americans.
  • In paragraph 2 (71) of chapter 9, Native Americans are described as “untutored savages.”
  • In paragraph 17 (78) of chapter 9, Native Americans are described as savages.
  • In paragraph 19 (178) of chapter 21, Native Americans are described as savages and barbarians.


Alcohol
Alcohol or being drunk is mentioned in the following paragraphs:
  • Paragraph 15 (56) of chapter 7.
  • Paragraph 9 (167) of chapter 20.
  • Paragraphs 3 (174) and 19 (180) of chapter 21.


Child Abuse
Child abuse as discipline may have been common for the age, but still deserves a warning.
  • In paragraph 1 (7) of chapter 2, there is a mention of whipping undutiful children.
  • Paragraph 4 (44) of chapter 6.
  • Paragraph 33 (130) of chapter 15.


Sexism
  • In paragraphs 3 (8) and 12 (11) of chapter 2, the word hussy is used.


Love always,
Sam

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