Outside Project

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Kelly Wilson
Darrow
Summer, English 102
July 17, 2010
Biography of Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood was born November 18, 1939 in Ottawa, Ontario. “Margaret grew up in Northern Ottawa, her father was an entomologist (insect scientist). Atwood began writing at the age of six but didn’t start pursue writing, as a career, till she was sixteen.”(Encyclopedia Of World Biography) In an interview by Linda Richards of January Magazine Atwood was asked, “Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?” Atwood replies,
No, I didn't. I knew from the age of 16, but before that, no. I did write the way most children write. As quite a young child I wrote. But then I didn't. For years. I had no interest in it. I read a lot, but I never thought I would be a writer. From about the ages of, say, seven to 16. I had other interests. At 16 I just started writing. Don't ask me why. I don't know. Looking back, you could say I always read. I always read a lot. I read voraciously. But I did not in my mind translate that voracious reading into writing.
“She received her bachelor’s degree in 1961 and then began getting her master’s
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degree at Radcliff College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1962. Atwood also studied at Harvard University in Cambridge, from 1962 to 1963 and from 1965 to1967.” (MargaretAtwood.com)
Another question that was asked by Linda Richards was: “So you’re a good speller, or you’re not a good speller?” Atwood replies,
I was not a good speller. I'm a better speller now, but I'm still... [Shrugs]. A lot of writers are like that. They hear words but they don't necessarily see them. I wasn't an atrocious speller, but I made enough mistakes that it took my mark down. My mother said: If you want to be a writer, maybe you should learn to spell. [Laughs] And I said: Others will do that for me. And they do. Either it's the real person editor, or it's the little man hiding in the computer who comes out and waves his hands at you and underlines your things with squiggly lines.
I find this interesting, I’m a terrible speller and I’ve always thought a good writer needs to be good at spelling. Obviously this isn’t the case for this award winning writer.
Margaret has stayed quite busy throughout her career, she has done teaching, writing scripts for films and television, and giving lectures at Universities; all while writing her books. “Though her writing career, Margaret Atwood has received numerous
awards and honorary degrees.“ (MargaretAtwood.com) She has written many novels,
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poetry, and children’s books. According to her website, “Margaret is best known for her novels, which include The Edible Woman (1970), The Handmaid’s Tale (1983), The
Robber Bride (1996), and The Blind Assassin, which one the prestigious Booker Prize in
2000.”
The Handmaids Tale is the only book I’ve read from Margaret Atwood. This story is about a handmaid name Offred that lives in the Republic of Gilead. She lives in the house of the Commander and his wife during a time of declining births. Offred’s job as a handmaid is to become pregnant by the Commander. Remembering back in time when things used to be normal, when she had a husband and daughter. Once a month Offred must lay down for the Commander and pray that she will become pregnant so that she can regain her freedom.
This is a dark and twisted story. It leaves you asking question and keeps the reader intrigued. I decide to do a biography of Margaret Atwood since we have been reading her book “The Handmaids Tale” for this class. Doing this biography on Atwood has made me better understand her writing. She is very intelligent artist and has a lot of writing experience. This book is different then any of the other books I’ve read and one of the most difficult. Atwood has a unique way of writing and I have really enjoyed reading her book.



Works Cited
Atwood, Margaret. “The Handmaid’s Tale” New York. April 1998. Print.
Encyclopedia Of World Biography. “Margaret Atwood“. 2010. Web. 20 July.2010.
http://www.notablebiographies.com/An-Ba/Atwood-Margaret.html
“http;// margaretatwood.ca/” Biography. Web. 20 July. 2010.
http://margaretatwood.ca/bio.php
Richard, Linda. January Magazine. Nov. 2000. Web. 20 July.2010
http://januarymagazine.com/profiles/atwood.html