Margaret Atwood discusses censorship, dystopias during celebration of KCPL’s 150th anniversary
Margaret Atwood// Courtesy of Kenney Ellison
It is the 150 anniversary of the Kansas City Public Library, and to celebrate, Margaret Atwood made an appearance in Kansas City Tuesday night. The Companion of Honour recipient gave invigorated answers at a Q&A to attendees at the Unity Temple on the Plaza.
“One point of view might be another should be allowed to read. You’re not neutral in respect to that. But otherwise, I think a library is a library,” says the award-winning novelist. “The library isn’t a school. A library is a place where people read books by themselves that they have chosen. It’s an institution that creates our choice.”
Atwood’s impassioned words reign especially true now–as Sept 22-28 is nationally recognized as Banned Books Week. The “Handmaid’s Tale” author proved to be quite popular in Missouri’s small corner of the world–the original venue, at the Kansas City Public Library, sold out in just minutes; this being the reason for a change to the Plaza.
Atwood and Stover at the KCPL event// Courtesy of Kenney Ellison
She regularly referenced the current war on libraries that has seen many copies of her own stories banned or destroyed. Still, Atwood impressed audience members, maintaining a quick, dry wit that not many possess as she answered questions about her career and the current book-banning epidemic.
“How did it feel to hold a flamethrower on your own book?,” says Kaite Stover, the interviewer and a librarian for the Kansas City Public Library.
“It took them several iterations to get one that would actually not burn. I put on the asbestos gloves, and they’re all quite nervous. ‘Margaret, aim it just at the book. Okay, that’s enough, Margaret. You can give it back to us, Margaret,’” says the writer. The whole room filled up with laughter.
The question was in reference to a YouTube video released in 2022 addressing the banning of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” as well as the burning of the novel in more extreme cases.
In addition to this, her sharp knowledge of history and her own experiences seemed to be a major source of inspiration for her works.
The poet shared her own experience writing the infamous novel that became a hit T.V. series–while in Berlin and Poland in the 80s.
“They estimate that one in every 50 people was ratting on their neighbors. So of course, people were afraid to talk to anybody. We launched the film “The Handmaid’s Tale” in Berlin, right after the wall had come down. We had two screening events. In West Berlin, they talked about the aesthetic things; the sets and the acting. We Went over to East Berlin, and they said, ‘This was our life,’” Atwood says.
The oppressiveness of these regimes are underscored in her writing. Atwood even went as far to recount the types of stories which ignited her love of literature, and influenced her own dystopian works. The novelist spoke about her adoration for utopia books growing up, and how fine the line between a dystopian and utopia reality can be.
Specifically, Atwood mentioned advancements like plumbing, fashion, and women’s suffrage as some of the inspiring forces behind the wave of utopia novels in the Victorian age. Conversely, she addresses the rise of the dystopian novel, too.
“The lack of utopias continues through the rise of totalitarian dictatorships, the left and right, the Second World War, and all these rather depressing events,” says Atwood. “These are the real-life situations in the world that such books are usually addressing.”
Atwood’s answers shed light on the importance of differing perspectives and the potentially harmful consequences of censorship, which would eliminate stories that offer glimpses into the disturbed consequences of humanity’s actions. To read Atwood’s works, visit this website.
