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227 Powerful Quotes By Margaret Atwood That Will Enlighten You

Famous As: Poet, Novelist, Literary Critic & Environmental Activist
Born On: November 18, 1939
Born In: Ottawa, Canada
Age: 84 Years

Margaret Atwood is a celebrated Canadian poet, essayist, novelist and environmental activist. She has a wide range of credentials in technical field, but she is known for her work in literature. A majority of her work is inspired by fairy tales and myths from her childhood. She is the winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke and Prince of Asturias award for Literature. She was also inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame and nominated for the Booker’s Prize five times, eventually winning it once. Margaret Atwood has often portrayed female characters being suppressed due to patriarchy. Her writings press for the need of women empowerment in the face of prevalent gender bias. She is an ardent supporter of speculative fiction which she believes is different from the science fiction due to its realism. We have curated Margaret Atwood’s quotes from her writings, thoughts, observations, and general life. A collection of quotes by Margaret Attwood on age, animals, books, childhood, climate change, democracy, greed, humanity, inspiration, ignorance, literature, life, soul, technology, war, time, truth, writing etc.

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War is what happens when language fails.

War is what happens when language fails.

Margaret Atwood
I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary.

I would like to be the air that inhabits you for a moment only. I would like to be that unnoticed and that necessary.

Margaret Atwood
A word after a word after a word is power.

A word after a word after a word is power.

Margaret Atwood
Little girls are cute and small only to adults. To one another they are not cute. They are life-sized.

Little girls are cute and small only to adults. To one another they are not cute. They are life-sized.

Margaret Atwood

Reading and writing, like everything else, improve with practice. And, of course, if there are no young readers and writers, there will shortly be no older ones. Literacy will be dead, and democracy - which many believe goes hand in hand with it - will be dead as well.

Margaret Atwood
A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together.

A voice is a human gift; it should be cherished and used, to utter fully human speech as possible. Powerlessness and silence go together.

Margaret Atwood
I hope that people will finally come to realize that there is only one 'race' - the human race - and that we are all members of it.

I hope that people will finally come to realize that there is only one 'race' - the human race - and that we are all members of it.

Margaret Atwood

All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through time and changes taking place, and that's what we call 'the plot'.

Margaret Atwood
Heroes need monsters to establish their heroic credentials. You need something scary to overcome.

Heroes need monsters to establish their heroic credentials. You need something scary to overcome.

Margaret Atwood
Our problem right now is that we're so specialized that if the lights go out, there are a huge number of people who are not going to know what to do. But within every dystopia there's a little utopia.

Our problem right now is that we're so specialized that if the lights go out, there are a huge number of people who are not going to know what to do. But within every dystopia there's a little utopia.

Margaret Atwood
Reality simply consists of different points of view.

Reality simply consists of different points of view.

Margaret Atwood
Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.

Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.

Margaret Atwood

The genesis of a poem for me is usually a cluster of words. The only good metaphor I can think of is a scientific one: dipping a thread into a supersaturated solution to induce crystal formation. I don't think I solve problems in my poetry; I think I uncover the problems.

Margaret Atwood
Every aspect of human technology has a dark side, including the bow and arrow.

Every aspect of human technology has a dark side, including the bow and arrow.

Margaret Atwood
Some people mistakenly think nature is very nice and benevolent and never betrays.

Some people mistakenly think nature is very nice and benevolent and never betrays.

Margaret Atwood
You're never going to kill storytelling, because it's built into the human plan. We come with it.

You're never going to kill storytelling, because it's built into the human plan. We come with it.

Margaret Atwood
The thing about delirium is you think it's great, but it actually isn't.

The thing about delirium is you think it's great, but it actually isn't.

Margaret Atwood
Gardening is not a rational act.

Gardening is not a rational act.

Margaret Atwood
Another belief of mine; that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.

Another belief of mine; that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.

Margaret Atwood
Science fiction, to me, has not only things that wouldn't happen, but other planets.

Science fiction, to me, has not only things that wouldn't happen, but other planets.

Margaret Atwood
Every utopia - let's just stick with the literary ones - faces the same problem: What do you do with the people who don't fit in?

Every utopia - let's just stick with the literary ones - faces the same problem: What do you do with the people who don't fit in?

Margaret Atwood
The society in 'The Handmaid's Tale' is a throwback to the early Puritans whom I studied extensively at Harvard under Perry Miller, to whom the book is dedicated.

The society in 'The Handmaid's Tale' is a throwback to the early Puritans whom I studied extensively at Harvard under Perry Miller, to whom the book is dedicated.

Margaret Atwood
There may not be one Truth - there may be several truths - but saying that is not to say that reality doesn't exist.

There may not be one Truth - there may be several truths - but saying that is not to say that reality doesn't exist.

Margaret Atwood
When I was 16, I started publishing all kinds of things in school magazines.

When I was 16, I started publishing all kinds of things in school magazines.

Margaret Atwood
Optimism means better than reality; pessimism means worse than reality. I'm a realist.

Optimism means better than reality; pessimism means worse than reality. I'm a realist.

Margaret Atwood
Social media is called social media for a reason. It lends itself to sharing rather than horn-tooting.

Social media is called social media for a reason. It lends itself to sharing rather than horn-tooting.

Margaret Atwood

Religions in general have to rediscover their roots. In Hinduism and the Koran, animals are described as equals. If you walk into a cathedral and look at the decorations of early Christianity, there are vines, animals, creatures and birds thriving all over the stonework.

Margaret Atwood
I'm a person of whim, and easily distracted. I don't like multitasking. When I'm doing one thing, I like to do just that thing.

I'm a person of whim, and easily distracted. I don't like multitasking. When I'm doing one thing, I like to do just that thing.

Margaret Atwood
An eye for an eye only leads to more blindness.

An eye for an eye only leads to more blindness.

Margaret Atwood

I'm a strict, strict agnostic. It's very different from a casual, 'I don't know.' It's that you cannot present as knowledge something that is not knowledge. You can present it as faith, you can present it as belief, but you can't present it as fact.

Margaret Atwood