Wonder Woman of the Week: Margaret Atwood

Few women writers receive accolades for publishing works in dystopian literature, so Wonder Woman Margaret Atwood has become a beacon for her field. The Canadian writer has become a diverse writer delving into several themes including mythology, fairy tales, feminism, and environmental activism. The author of A Handmaid's Tale has become famous as a powerful feminist writer whose characters have entered into the social sphere during feminist activist marches. Thus far, Atwood has published seventeen books of poetry, sixteen novels, ten books of non-fiction, eight collections of short fiction, eight children's books, and one graphic novel.

Part of Margaret Atwood's skill comes from her revolutionization of the science fiction genre. The writer developed a genre of the field that delved into the real. While most science fiction retells common stories with fictional settings and technology, Atwood's "speculative fiction" tells new stories with common settings and technology. For example, rather than telling a story on another planet with fantasy weapons and flying cars, speculative fiction explores perceived futures on earth with real-world technology. That approach allows Atwood's fiction to seem incredibly real, and readers often fear a future in which Atwood's fiction may become reality.