Margaret Eleanor Atwood was born on November 18, 1939 in Ottawa, Canada. She was second out of the three children; Harold Leslie, and Ruth, of Carl Atwood and Margaret Dorothy Killam. Her father worked as a forest entomologist, which was where she spent most of her childhood life with him in the woods writing in her free time. Margaret was mostly influenced in her early writings by the vivid scenery of the Northern Quebec forest where her father worked at. In 1946, she moved to Toronto, where she finally attended full schooling at age 11. She wrote poems, comic books, and started a novel at age 6. During her early studies, her favorite author was Edgar Allan Poe, which influenced her to be committed to write in her writing career. Margaret attended Leaside High School, and graduated in 1959. Then she went to continue on her studies at the University of Toronto at age 16 where her first novel Double Persephone was published. She met a literary critic named Northrop Fry who also influenced her with Jungian ideas, and played a role as an early critic with her writing. She graduated from Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she accomplished her Master's Degree. Margaret started for her PhD degree at Harvard for her Victorian literature in 1962 to 1967. Her studies there were interrupted because of her failure on her discussion of the "English Metaphysical Romance".
Margaret Atwood not only was a writer during her lifetime, but she was also worked for a market-researching company in Toronto. Atwood also has written a few several television scripts such as the "Servant girl" (CBS in 1974), but was not as successful as her pieces and novel. She then moved to Vancouver where she taught English at the University of British Colombia, and s is currently active in the PEN and Amnesty International. Margaret also was talented in photography and water coloring. Her art in photography and water coloring showed clearly of her prose and poetry because of the unique style and layout of the art. Atwood was married in 1967 to James Polk and moved to Alliston, Ontario but divorced in 1973 with reasons not mentioned. Not long after, she married Graeme Gibson, also a writer. They had their first child named Eleanor Atwood Jess Gibson in 1976. She also raised her two stepsons from Gibson, named Grae and and Matt Gibson.
Margaret Atwood was most known for her feminism mythological themes, science fiction, satire, and fantasy. Many of her genres have been shown to be connected globally and to personal politics. Her themes mainly focus on environmental degradation, women's role, and the power of social organizations. Most of her novels are based off of the idea of "Survival vs. Wilderness" extracted from her childhood experiences with her father in the Northern Quebec forest. Atwood is most known for using irony, conventions of confessional verse, political attitudes, and the arts of poetical in her pieces. She alternates and orientates literature around survival (referring back to her childhood), and enhances her novels scattered with mini lessons, myths, and archetypes. In every piece of all that she writes, Atwood is most noted for her careful craftsmanship, and precision of language, evoking the audience with a sense of inevitability and resonance to her words. Her most famous science fiction novel is "The Famous Handmaid Tale" (1986) because it was similar to Carson's novel "Silent Spring" (1926) which was based off of the environmental issues during the Environmental movement, exploring the future results of pollution. Because Margaret Atwood was a strong feminist, many of her books like "The Edible Woman" written in 1969. This early feminist novel published by McClelland and Stewart, coincidently sparked the women's movement rise in North America and the second wave of the feminist movement. This novel was assumed based off of some of experiences like the University of Toronto which could have been inspired to be the Annelesy Hall, an all female building established in 1903. Atwood centered most of her feminist literature on women's relationships with each other, both protagonist and antagonist. Many of her books have women suffering because many of the women she had dealt with throughout her life have suffered. The most personal experience was with her cousin Mary Webster who was born into witchcraft who survived Connecticut's hanging in the 17th century. Her feminist themes were about the battles of weak women against male force. She was interested in women's civil rights influencing her to be a feminist. Also, most of her novels were about women middle aged mixed in with confrontation with the wilderness (Survival vs. Wilderness). She mixes in her Toronto lifestyles and her women friendships where she grew up. Atwood has received more than 50 awards for works. She has received two governor General's Awards, Booker prize, the Author C Clark Award, Orange prize, Presidential medals, and the Union Poetry Prize.
Margaret Atwood is one of Canada's best known writer, cultural commentor, and a major public figure. She also became the Writers Union of Canada credited for drawing heightened attentions to Canadians and creating a guide of Canadian literature. Her Canadian literature guide has been taught and read which shaped the way Canadians looked at themselves. Her examination of destructive gender roles and nationalists concern over Canada influenced the US about the civil rights of women. She fought against the literary censorship as president of the PEN International's Anglo-Canadian Branch. Because Margaret was a strong support of: feminism, environmentalism, and social justice, all the money she wins from accolades and awards, she donates them to charity for better beneficial without any acceptance of the cash to herself. International readership has also been observed and respected by audience of many readings. Her works have become so popular that it has to be translated into many different languages like German, France, Italian, and much more. Many of her pieces are being studied in courses in many different regions such as Alabama, New York, and Trinity, Texas. Also, her piece "The Handmaid's Tale" has now became a required reading for the Aggregation d' Anglais, a national examination in France throughout high school and for universities of England. Atwood has received numerous awards for her literature achievements and her efforts to change the world. She has been given the Crystal Award for cultural leaders committed to improving the state of the world.
