Master of dystopian fiction, proverbial poetess and nurturing teacher. Margaret Atwood has become one of literatures most loved fiction writers and teachers. Her most famous novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, has now sold around 8 million units! Atwood’s fiction has become a pop culture phenomenon and is now treasured by millions of people all over the globe. After the book sold exceptionally well a television series was created to tell the story in a new medium which resonated with even more people.

The book is considered extremely influential on the political and social landscape, exploring the realms of feminism and issues which affect women on a daily basis. Attwood is a writer whose work has resonated with the world, here are her 8 quotes for life. 

War is What Happens When Language Fails

Communication is Essential. Attwood believes that communication is one of the ways we can avoid conflict in our lives and on a global scale. Communicating with efficiency and effectiveness may seem trivial at times but it has the potential to move mountains and put an end to war.   

Men are Afraid That Women Will Laugh at Them, Women are Afraid That Men Will Kill Them 

Men are in a position of privilege in many countries around the world, although the western world is far safer for women now, we still have issues. Men have fears which are trivial in comparison to the fears of women. What Atwood is trying to say is that relationships between men and women are unequal in nature due to the societal and cultural differences we have at home and abroad. In many cases women have to be cautious when they shouldn’t have to be.    

I Read for Pleasure, and That is the Moment I Learn the Most

Reading is a passion. Every single writer first picked up the pen for one reason and one reason alone: a love for the craft of storytelling and writing. We learn the most when we carry that passion front and centre of our hearts. We always learn more efficiently and productively when we are engrossed and enthused by what we are reading.   

Stupidity is the Same as Evil if You Judge by the Same Results

The world certainly isn’t black and white. I’m sure you have heard this cliché before! If we judge the world around us by the results we see, turning a blind eye to other factors which may ultimately lead to results, then we will view the world in a very corporate unemotional way. A viewpoint which isn’t human. We should be mindful of variables, not just results.  

Word After a Word after a Word is Power 

Attwood feels that language has the power to change the world. By writing stories and sharing our experience we become powerful and influential. The spotlight is a position of power our words and our stories are ours and through us we can become powerful.  

If We Were all on Trial for our Thoughts we Would all be Hanged

Nobody is innocent in life. We all have negative thoughts and feelings, things which are forbidden morally or forbidden by our culture. The same thing which makes us remarkably human: our self-awareness, is also the same thing that makes us guilty. We have to be mindful of this and be understanding of our fellow human beings, again with the old cliché… The world is not simply just black and white!

What am I Living for and What am I Dying for are the Same Question     

We all have goals and aspirations, as Frederiech Nietzche famously said: those who have a why to live can bear almost any how. If we know our purpose we have a reason to get out of bed in the morning and work towards our aspirations. If we would die for something chances are it’s important enough to dedicate our lives to. 

Potential has a Shelf Life 

I’m not sure if many of you are sports fans but I’ll use this metaphor anyway. When a player is young and inexperienced all his/her potential lays before them, through age and experience potential begins to wither away. If we want to reach our potential we have to start now, otherwise we may end up never reaching our peak. 

What do you Think? 

Did I miss any quotes? Let me know down in the comments if you know anymore, or how Margaret Attwood has affected your own writing.