Margaret Eleanor Atwood is born in Ottawa, Ontario, to Carl Edmund Atwood, an entomologist, and Margaret Dorothy Killam Atwood, a nutritionist. Her early childhood is marked by spending significant time in the Canadian wilderness.

Atwood spends a large portion of her childhood in the bush of Northern Quebec, where her father was researching forest entomology. This environment profoundly shaped her perspective on nature, isolation, and the relationship between humanity and the natural world, themes that frequently appear in her writing.

Atwood begins attending school regularly at the age of six, when her family moves to Toronto, Ontario, during the school season. This transition marks a shift from her more isolated, nature-immersed upbringing.

Atwood enrolls at Victoria College at the University of Toronto, where she studies English, French, and philosophy. During her time there, she is mentored by influential professors and begins to seriously pursue writing.

Atwood publishes 'Double Persephone,' a chapbook of poems, which marks her first significant publication and signals the beginning of her public literary career. This publication gains recognition and helps establish her presence in the Canadian literary scene.

Atwood graduates from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with honors. Her academic achievements lay a strong foundation for her future literary endeavors.

Atwood receives a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and begins graduate studies at Radcliffe College, Harvard University. She focuses on Victorian literature and continues to develop her writing skills. Though she did not complete the degree.