Discovering the author’s life and times MARGARET ATWOOD

« Discovering the author’s life and times MARGARET ATWOOD Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa, Canada, in 1939. Her father was an entomologist, and Atwood spent part of her early years in the bush of North Quebec, where her father studied insects.

She studied English at the University of Toronto, and then Radcliffe College and Harvard in the U.S.A.

She is Canada’s most eminent novelist and poet, and also writes short stories, critical studies, screenplays, radio scripts, graphic novels and books for children. She is best known, however, for her novels, in which she creates strong, often enigmatic, women characters and excels in telling open-ended stories, while dissecting contemporary urban life and sexual politics. Amongst other things, Atwood writes about art and its creation, the dangers of ideology and sexual politics; she deconstructs myths, fairytales and the classics for a new audience. Her work is often gothic, which is one reason for its wide popularity.  Fill in the mind map about Atwood’s life.

You may find more information:  On Atwood Encyclopaedia Britannica Margaret was born on  On Biography.com November 18, 1939, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  The video on Classroom Margaret Atwood was born on Birth: dddddddddddddddddddddddddddd …………………………………………………………………………. Genres:………………………………………………………………………. twood has lived in various places, Places: ………………………………………………………………………. Margaret Atwood is renowned for her ………………………………….…………………… contributions to various genres, including dystopian fiction, speculative fiction, ……………………………….……………………………………………………… science fiction, historical fiction, and poetry. …………………………..…………………………………………………………… …………………………………… British Columbia. ……………………………………..………………………………………………… dddd November 18, 1939, in Ottawa, ……………………………………………………………………………………. Ontario, Canada. ……………………………………………………………………………………. including Ottawa, Toronto, and Her experiences in different Canadian settings ……………………………………………………………………………………. often influence her writing. …………………………………………..…………………………………………… Parents / family: ………………………………………………..…. ………………………………………………..……………………………………… Margaret Atwood's parents were Carl ……………………………………………………………………………………. Themes / topics broached: ………………………………… Edmund Atwood, an entomologist, and Margaret Dorothy Killam, a former …………………………………………………………………………………… dietitian and nutritionist.

She had a ……………………………………………………………………………………. brother named Harold. Education: ………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………… Atwood attended the University of Toronto, where she earned a Bachelor of …………………………………………………………………………………… Arts degree in English in 1961.

Later, she pursued graduate studies at Harvard …………………………………………………………………………………… University. Atwood's works often explore themes such as feminism, environmentalism, power dynamics, political oppression, and the ………………………………………………………………………………………… human impact on nature.

"The Handmaid's Tale" delves into issues of reproductive ………………………………………………………………………………………… rights and gender roles, while other works address social justice and ecological ………………………………………………………………………………………… concerns. ………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… Read the timeline a. How would you define this period? "The Handmaid's Tale," published in 1985, is situated within a period marked by significant sociopolitical dynamics.

The 1970s and 1980s saw the peak of the feminist movement, and the novel responds to and critiques issues related to women's rights, gender roles, and reproductive freedom.

Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the novel reflects anxieties about totalitarianism and extreme ideologies.

The rise of religious fundamentalism during the 1980s is mirrored in the dystopian theocracy depicted in the book.

Additionally, the era was characterized by debates over reproductive rights, contributing to the novel's exploration of a society where women's bodies are tightly controlled b.

Considering Atwood’s topics (cf biography), to what extent do you think her period inspired her writing? Margaret Atwood's writing is deeply influenced by the sociopolitical climate of her time, and her period of the 1970s and 1980s is evident in her choice of themes and topics.

The feminist movement, which gained momentum during this period, significantly shaped Atwood's exploration of women's rights, gender roles, and reproductive freedom in works like "The Handmaid's Tale." The Cold War context and the fear of authoritarian rule are reflected in the dystopian societies depicted in her novels.

Atwood's concerns about religious fundamentalism align with the rise of such ideologies during the 1980s.

Moreover, her environmental themes in various works resonate with the growing awareness of ecological issues during that era.

In essence,.... »